Rf power module

ABSTRACT

A technique is provided for achieving reduction in size of an electronic device with a power amplifier circuit, while enhancing the performance of the electronic device. An RF power module for a mobile communication device includes first and second semiconductor chips, a passive component, and first and second integrated passive components, which are mounted over a wiring board. In the first semiconductor chip, MISFET elements constituting power amplifier circuits for the GSM 900 and for the DCS 1800 are formed, and a control circuit is also formed. In the first integrated passive component, a low pass filter circuit for the GSM 900 is formed, and in the second integrated passive component, a low pass filter circuit for the DCS 1800 is formed. In the second semiconductor chip, antenna switch circuits for the GSM 900 and DCS 1800 are formed. Over the upper surface of the wiring board, the second semiconductor chip is disposed next to the first semiconductor chip between the integrated passive components.

CROSS-REFERENCE

This is a continuation application of U.S. Ser. No. 11/626,485, filedJan. 24, 2007.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application claims priority from Japanese patent applicationNo. 2006-52099 filed on Feb. 28, 2006, the content of which is herebyincorporated by reference into this application.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an electronic device, and moreparticularly, to a technique suitable for use in an electronic devicemounted on a mobile communication device.

In recent years, mobile communication devices (for example, cellularphones), which employ a communication system typified by GSM (GlobalSystem for Mobile Communications), PCS (Personal Communication System),PDC (Personal Digital Cellular), or CDMA (Code Division Multiple-Access)system, have gained widespread use throughout the world.

In general, such mobile communication devices are each composed of anantenna for emitting and receiving electric waves, a high-frequencypower amplifier (power amplification module) for amplifyingpower-modulated high-frequency signals to supply them to the antenna, areceiver for processing the high-frequency signals received by theantenna, a controller for controlling the above-mentioned elements, anda cell (battery) for supplying a power supply voltage to these elements.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2005-39320 discloses atechnique for a semiconductor element including a semiconductorsubstrate, and transistors formed on the semiconductor substrate forconstituting a first-stage amplifier of a first amplification system anda next-stage amplifier of a second amplification system. At a partialarea of the semiconductor substrate, there are provided first, secondand third transistors constituting the first-stage amplifier of thefirst amplification system and the next-stage amplifier of the secondamplification system, and a switch element for selecting predeterminedtwo of the aforesaid three transistors according to a switching signalinput. The switching by the switch element leads to formation of thefirst-stage amplifier of the first amplification system by means of thesecond and third transistors, or formation of the next-stage amplifierof the second amplification system by means of the first and secondtransistors.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2004-128288 discloses atechnique which comprises a module substrate with front and backsurfaces, and having a cavity part formed on the back surface, a controlchip mounted on the front surface of the module substrate, chipcomponents adjacent to the control chip and mounted on the frontsurface, an output chip disposed within the cavity part on the backsurface of the module substrate, a plurality of lands disposed on theback surface of the module substrate, and a seal part for sealing thecontrol chip and the plurality of chip components. A first GND patternelectrically connected to a GND potential is provided on the modulesubstrate for strengthening an electromagnetic shield between thecontrol chip on the front surface and the output chip on the backsurface.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2004-296627 discloses atechnique in which a source electrode on the back surface of asemiconductor chip with a n-channel LDMOS for amplification formedtherein is coupled with a wiring pattern on a main surface of a wiringboard. Also, the source electrode is connected electrically andthermally to a wiring pattern for supply of a reference potential on theback surface of the wiring board through a via hole extending from themain surface of the wiring board to the back surface thereof.Furthermore, a drain electrode on the back surface of a semiconductorchip with a pMOS of a trench gate structure formed therein adapted forsupplying a power source voltage to the described n-channel LDMOS iscoupled with a wiring pattern on the main surface of the wiring board.Also, the drain electrode is connected electrically and thermally to avia hole extending from the main surface of the wiring board to aposition at the midpoint of the thickness of the wiring board. Under thevia hole, another via hole is provided with an insulating platesandwiched therebetween.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2003-249868 discloses atechnique which comprises chip components including circuit parts havinga filter function (a diplexer, and a LPF) laminated on the inner layerof a ceramic multilayer substrate among circuit parts constituting afront end, and a resin multilayer substrate having passive partslaminated on the inner layer thereof among circuit parts having a switchfunction (RF Switches). The chip components made of the ceramicmultilayer substrate, and an active element constituting the switch areintegrally mounted on the surface of the resin multilayer substrate. Inaddition, the chip components made of the ceramic multilayer substrateare mounted in such a state that input/output impedance of each chipcomponent is compatible with the remaining other circuit parts of thefront end.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The inventors have found the following results through study.

In the known mobile communication devices, a high-frequency signal fortransmission is amplified by a power amplifier circuit to be supplied toan antenna. Thus, it is necessary to provide a low pass filter circuitfor attenuating a harmonic component, and an antenna switch circuit forswitching between transmission and reception between the power amplifiercircuit and the antenna. The antenna switch circuit causes thehigh-frequency signal amplified by the power amplifier circuit to betransmitted from the antenna in transmission. Also, the antenna switchcircuit causes a signal received from the antenna to be fed to anothercircuit in reception.

In order to amplify the high-frequency signal for transmission, a modulefor antenna switch including the low pass filter circuit and the antennaswitch circuit is required between the antenna and a power amplificationmodule including the power amplifier circuit.

However, providing the antenna switch module between the poweramplification module and the antenna may result in an increase in sizeof the mobile communication device as a whole, leading to an increase inmanufacturing cost. For this reason, the antenna switch circuit isproposed to be incorporated into the power amplification module. Thiscan scale down the size of the entire mobile communication device.

Various problems, however, may be raised even when the poweramplification module also serves simply as the antenna switch module.

For example, when a HBT (Heterojunction Bipolar Transistor) element isused in the power amplifier circuit of the power amplification module,there is a need for a semiconductor chip with the HBT element for poweramplification formed thereon, another semiconductor chip with a controlcircuit or the like formed thereon, and a further semiconductor chipwith an antenna switch circuit formed thereon. Thus, the number ofsemiconductor chips required is increased, which results in an increasein size of mounting areas of the semiconductor chips and of wire bondingregions, and thus in dimension of the power amplification module.

The high-frequency signal amplified by the power amplifier circuit isinput into the antenna switch circuit via the low pass filter circuit.But, when these circuits are incorporated into one power amplificationmodule, without various measures for arrangement of each circuit, theloss of the high-frequency signal may become large from the time when itis amplified by the power amplifier circuit to the time when it is inputinto the antenna switch circuit via the low pass filter circuit. Thiscould reduce power addition effect of the power amplification module,leading to degraded performance. In particular, when there are providedtwo systems for GSM 900 and DCS 1800, each including the power amplifiercircuit, the low pass filter circuit, and the antenna switch circuit,the power addition effect tends to be reduced depending on thearrangement of each circuit in either the GSM-900 system or the DCS-1800system.

When noise is input into the semiconductor chip with the power amplifiercircuit formed thereon, the power amplifier circuit can oscillate, whichmay result in degraded performance of the power amplification module.

Since the power amplification module mounts various components on thewiring board, if the low pass filter circuit and the antenna switchcircuit are incorporated into the power amplification module, the numberof components mounted will be increased. Thus, if the mountingreliability of various components is not enhanced, the reliability ofthe power amplification module can be reduced.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a technique thatpermits reduction in size of an electronic device.

It is another object of the invention to provide a technique that canenhance the performance of the electronic device.

The above-mentioned and other objects, and novel features of the presentinvention will be more apparent from the following detailed descriptionswith reference to the accompanying drawings.

The outline of typical embodiments of the invention disclosed in thepresent application will be briefly described below.

According to one aspect of the invention, an electronic device includesa power amplifier circuit and a switch circuit to which an output of thepower amplifier circuit is connected. The electronic device comprises awiring board, a first semiconductor chip mounted over a main surface ofthe wiring board and including a MISFET formed therein for constitutingthe power amplifier circuit, and a second semiconductor chip mountedover the main surface of the wiring board for constituting the switchcircuit.

According to another aspect of the invention, an electronic deviceincludes a power amplifier circuit and a low pass filter circuitelectrically connected to the power amplifier circuit. The electronicdevice comprises a wiring board, a first semiconductor chip mounted overa main surface of the wiring board for constituting the power amplifiercircuit, and an integrated passive element mounted over the main surfaceof the wiring board for constituting the low pass filter circuit. Apattern for identifying a position of the integrated passive element isformed over the main surface of the wiring board.

The effects obtained by the typical embodiments of the inventiondisclosed herein will be briefly described below.

The electronic device can be reduced in size.

Furthermore, the electronic device can have enhanced performance.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a circuit block diagram of amplifier circuits constituting anRF power module according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram showing an example of a circuit structure ofa low pass filter;

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of an example of a digital cellularphone system using the RF power module of the embodiment of theinvention;

FIG. 4 is a circuit diagram showing an example of a circuit structure ofa switch circuit;

FIG. 5 is a circuit diagram of a HEMT element used in the switch circuitof FIG. 4,

FIG. 6 is an equivalent circuit diagram of the HEMT element of FIG. 5when it is turned on;

FIG. 7 is an equivalent circuit diagram of the HEMT element of FIG. 5when it is turned off;

FIG. 8 is a circuit diagram showing an example of another circuitstructure of the switch circuit;

FIG. 9 is a top view showing a structure of the RF power moduleaccording to the embodiment;

FIG. 10 is a sectional view of the RF power module according to theembodiment;

FIG. 11 is a sectional view of a main part of a semiconductor chip whena semiconductor amplification element is formed of a LDMOSFET;

FIG. 12 is a sectional view of a main part of the semiconductor chipwhen the switch circuit is formed using a HEMT element;

FIG. 13 is a plan view of a main part of the semiconductor chip of FIG.12;

FIG. 14 is a sectional view showing a main part of a manufacturing stepof an integrated passive component used in the RF power module of theembodiment;

FIG. 15 is a sectional view showing a main part of a manufacturing stepof the integrated passive component, following the step of FIG. 14;

FIG. 16 is a sectional view showing a main part of a manufacturing stepof the integrated passive component, following the step of FIG. 15;

FIG. 17 is a sectional view showing a main part of a manufacturing stepof the integrated passive component, following the step of FIG. 16;

FIG. 18 is a sectional view showing a main part of a manufacturing stepof the integrated passive component, following the step of FIG. 17;

FIG. 19 is a sectional view showing a main part of a manufacturing stepof the integrated passive component, following the step of FIG. 18;

FIG. 20 is a sectional view of a manufacturing step of the RF powermodule of the embodiment;

FIG. 21 is a sectional view showing a manufacturing step of the RF powermodule, following the step of FIG. 20.

FIG. 22 is a sectional view showing a manufacturing step of the RF powermodule, following the step of FIG. 21.

FIG. 23 is a sectional view showing a manufacturing step of the RF powermodule, following the step of FIG. 22.

FIG. 24 is a schematic sectional view of a wiring board in a comparativeexample, which incorporates therein a low pass filter;

FIG. 25 is a top perspective drawing of a RF power module 1 according toone preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 26 is a main plan view showing the vicinity of a semiconductor chipin the RF power module of the embodiment;

FIG. 27 is a main plan view showing the vicinity of a semiconductor chipin an RF power module of a comparative example;

FIG. 28 is a main plan view of the RF power module of the embodiment;

FIG. 29 is a plan view of the integrated passive component;

FIG. 30 is a main top view of the wiring board before mounting theintegrated passive component;

FIG. 31 is a main top view of the wiring board before mounting theintegrated passive component;

FIG. 32 is a sectional view of a main part of the wiring board beforemounting the integrated passive component;

FIG. 33 is a sectional view showing a main part of a state in which theintegrated passive component is mounted over the upper surface of thewiring board; and

FIG. 34 is a main plan view showing a main part of a case where theposition of the integrated passive component deviates from apredetermined position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The following embodiments will be described by being divided into aplurality of sections or embodiments if necessary for convenience.However, unless otherwise specified, they are not irrelevant to oneanother. One of the embodiments has to do with modifications, detailsand supplementary explanations of some or all parts of the other. Whenreference is made to the number of elements or the like (including thenumber of pieces, numerical values, quantity, range, etc.) in thefollowing description of the embodiments, the number thereof is notlimited to a specific number, and may be greater than, or less than, orequal to the specific number, unless otherwise specified and definitelylimited to the specific number in principle. It is also needless to saythat components (including elements or process steps, etc.) employed inthe following description of the embodiments are not always essential,unless otherwise specified and considered to be definitely essential inprinciple. Similarly, when reference is made to the shapes, positionalrelations and the like of the components or the like in the followingdescription of the embodiments, they will include ones substantiallyanalogous or similar to their shapes or the like, unless otherwisespecified and considered not to be definitely so in principle, etc. Thisis similarly applied even to the above-described numerical values andrange.

Preferred embodiments of the invention will be described below in detailbased on the accompanying drawings. Note that the same reference numberswill be used to refer to members having the same function throughout allthe drawings for explanation of the embodiments, and thus the repeateddescription thereof will be omitted. In the following embodiments, therepeated description of the same or like parts will not be given inprinciple unless otherwise needed.

For better viewing of the accompanying drawing used in the embodiments,even in the sectional view, hatching may be omitted intentionally. Incontrast, for better viewing of the plan view, hatching may be provided.

The preferred embodiments of the invention are directed to a poweramplification module (electronic device), such as a RF (Radio Frequency)power module used in (or mounted on) a digital cellular phone (mobilecommunication device) for transmitting information using a network, suchas a GSM system.

The term GSM (Global System for Mobile Communication) set forth hereinmeans one of wireless communication systems or a specification thereofto be used in the digital cellular phone. The GSM has three frequencybands of the used electric wave, namely, 900 MHz band (824 to 915 MHz)which is called GSM 900 or simply GSM, 1800 MHz band (1710 to 1910 MHz)which is called GSM 1800 or DCS (Digital Cellular System) 1800 or PCN,and 1900 MHz band which is called GSM 1900, DCS 1900, or PCS (PersonalCommunication Services). Note that the GSM 1900 is used mainly in NorthAmerica. Additionally, in North America, GSM 850 of 850 MHz band may beused in some cases. An RF power module (electronic device) 1 of thepreferred embodiments of the invention is an RF power module (ahigh-frequency power amplifier, a power amplification module, a poweramplifier module, a power amp module, a semiconductor device, or anelectronic device) used at these frequency bands (at high frequencybands), for example.

FIG. 1 is a circuit block diagram of an amplifier circuit constitutingthe RF power module 1 of the embodiment (a high-frequency poweramplifier, a power amplification module, a power amplifier module, apower amp module, a semiconductor device, or an electronic device). Thisfigure shows the circuit block diagram (amplifier circuit) of the RFpower module which can use two communication systems, namely, a GMSK(Gaussian filtered Minimum Shift Keying) modulation system, and an EDGE(Enhanced Data GSM Environment) modulation system, at each of the twofrequency bands of the GSM 900 and the DCS 1800 (a dual-band type). TheGMSK modulation system is a system used for communication of audiosignals which is adapted to phase-shift the phase of carrier wavesaccording to transmission data. The EDGE modulation system is a systemused for data communication which is adapted to perform an amplitudeshift operation in addition to the phase shift of the GMSK modulation.

As shown in FIG. 1, the circuit structure of the RF power module 1 has apower amplifier circuit for the GSM 900 (high-frequency power amplifiercircuit) 102A including three amplification stages 102A1, 102A2, and102A3, a power amplifier circuit for the DCS 1800 (high-frequency poweramplifier circuit) 102B including three amplification stages 102B1,102B2, and 102B3, a peripheral circuit 103, matching circuits 105A,105B, 107A, and 107B, lowpass filters (lowpass filter circuits) 108A and108B, and switch circuits (a switching circuit, and an antenna switchcircuit) 109A and 109B.

The matching circuit (input matching circuit) 105A is disposed betweenan input terminal 104 a for the GSM 900 and the power amplifier circuit102A (first amplification stage 102A1). The matching circuit (inputmatching circuit) 105B is disposed between an input terminal 104 b forthe DCS 1800 and the power amplifier circuit 102B (first amplificationstage 102B1). The matching circuit (output matching circuit) 107A isdisposed between the switch circuit 109A for the GSM 900 and the poweramplifier circuit 102A (third amplification stage 102A3). The matchingcircuit (output matching circuit) 107B is disposed between the switchcircuit 109B for DCS 1800 and the power amplifier circuit 102B (thirdamplification stage 102B3).

The lowpass filter 108A for the GSM 900 is disposed between the matchingcircuit 107A and the switch circuit 109A for the GSM 900, and an outputof the power amplifier circuit 102A is input to the filter 108A via thematching circuit 107A. The low pass filter 108B for the DCS 1800 isdisposed between the matching circuit 107B and the switch circuit 109Bfor the DCS 1800, and an output of the power amplifier circuit 102B isinput to the filter 108B via the matching circuit 107B.

A matching circuit for stages (interstage matching circuit) 102AM1 isprovided between the amplification stages 102A1 and 102A2 of the poweramplifier circuit 102A for the GSM 900, and a matching circuit forstages (interstage matching circuit) 102AM2 is provided between theamplification stages 102A2 and 102A3. A matching circuit for stages(interstage matching circuit) 102BM1 is provided between theamplification stages 102B1 and 102B2 of the power amplifier circuit 102Bfor the DCS 1800, and a matching circuit for stages (interstage matchingcircuit) 102BM2 is provided between the amplification stages 102B2 and102B3.

Among the above-mentioned components, the power amplifier circuit 102A(amplification stages 102A1-102A3) for the GSM 900, the power amplifiercircuit 102B (amplification stages 102B1-102B3) for the DCS 1800, andthe peripheral circuit 103 are formed in one semiconductor chip (asemiconductor amplification element chip, a power amplification elementchip for high frequency, a semiconductor device, or an electronicdevice) 2.

The peripheral circuit 103 is a circuit for controlling and assistingamplification operations of the power amplifier circuits 102A and 102B,or for controlling the switch circuits 109A and 109B, and includescontrol circuits 103A, 103C, and a bias circuit 103B for applying biasvoltages to the aforementioned amplification stages 102A1 to 102A3, and102B1 to 102B3.

The control circuit 103A is a circuit for generating a predeterminedvoltage to be applied to the aforementioned power amplifier circuits102A and 102B, and includes a power source control circuit 103A1 and abias voltage generation circuit 103A2. The power source control circuit103A1 is a circuit for generating a first power source voltage to beapplied to a drain terminal of an amplification element (for example,MISFET) for output of each of the amplification stages 102A1-102A3, and102B1-102B3. Further, the bias voltage generation circuit 103A2 is acircuit for generating a first control voltage for controlling the biascircuit 103B. Here, if the power source control circuit 103A1 generatesthe first power source voltage based on an output level designationsignal supplied from an external baseband circuit, the bias voltagegeneration circuit 103A2 is adapted to generate the first controlvoltage based on the first power source voltage generated by the powersource control circuit 103A1. The baseband circuit is a circuit forgenerating the aforementioned output level designation signal. Theoutput level designation signal is a signal designating the output levelof each of the power amplifier circuits 102A, 102B and is generatedbased on the output level corresponding to the distance between thecellular phone and the base station, that is, to the intensity ofelectric waves.

A control circuit 103C is a circuit for controlling the switch circuits109A and 109B (a control circuit for the switch circuits 109A and 109B).The switch circuit 109A for the GSM 900 can serve to switch a terminal106 to connect either to an output side of the low pass filter 108A forthe GSM 900 or to a terminal 110 a, in response to a control signal(switch signal) from the control circuit 103C. Similarly, the switchcircuit 109B for the DCS 1800 can serve to switch the terminal 106 toconnect either to an output side of the low pass filter 108B for the DCS1800 or to a terminal 110 b, in response to a control signal (switchsignal) from the control circuit 103C.

An RF input signal inputted into an input terminal 104 a for the GSM 900of the RF power module 1 is inputted into the semiconductor chip 2 viathe matching circuit 105A, and amplified by the power amplifier circuit102A within the semiconductor chip 2, namely, the three amplificationstages 102A1 to 102A3 to be output from the semiconductor chip 2 as theamplified RF signal (RF signal of the GSM 900). The amplified RF signal(RF signal of the GSM 900) output from the semiconductor chip 2 isinputted into the switch circuit 109A for the GSM 900 via the matchingcircuit 107A and the low pass filter 108A. When the switch circuit 109Aswitches the terminal 106 to connect it to the output side of the lowpass filter 108A, the RF signal inputted into the switch circuit 109Avia the low pass filter 108A (RF signal of the GSM 900) is output fromthe terminal 106 as an RF output signal (RF output signal of the GSM900).

The RF input signal inputted into the input terminal 104 b for the DCS1800 of the RF power module 1 is inputted into the semiconductor chip 2via the matching circuit 105B, and amplified by the power amplifiercircuit 102B within the semiconductor chip 2, namely, the threeamplification stages 102B1 to 102B3 to be output as the amplified RFsignal (RF signal of the DCS 1800) from the semiconductor chip 2. Theamplified RF signal (RF signal of the DCS 1800) output from thesemiconductor chip 2 is inputted into the switch circuit 109B for theDCS 1800 via the matching circuit 107B and the low pass filter 108B.When the switch circuit 109B switches the terminal 106 to connect to theoutput side of the low pass filter 108B, the RF signal inputted into theswitch circuit 109B via the low pass filter 108B (RF signal of the DCS1800) is output from the terminal 106 as an RF output signal (RF outputsignal of the DCS 1800).

As will be described later, when the RF power module 1 is mounted on themobile communication device, such as a cellular phone, the terminal 106is electrically connected to the antenna for transmission and receptionof the signals and electric waves. Thus, the RF output signal outputtedfrom the terminal 106 of the RF power module 1 is transmitted from theantenna of the mobile communication device (cellular phone).

An input signal (for example, a control signal or the like) inputtedinto the input terminal 104 c of the RF power module 1 is inputted tothe peripheral circuit 103. Based on the input signal, the peripheralcircuit 103 can control the power amplifier circuits 102A, 102B, and theswitch circuits 109A, 109B.

Each matching circuit is a circuit for carrying out the impedancematching, and the low-pass filters 108A and 108B are the circuits forattenuating the harmonic components. Although the harmonic components(second harmonics and third harmonics) are caused by the power amplifiercircuits 102A and 102B, the harmonic components included in theamplified RF signals are attenuated by the low pass filters 108A and108B intervening between the power amplifier circuits 102A, 102B, andthe switch circuits 109A, 109B, so that the harmonic component cannot becontained in the RF output signal from the terminal 106. The low passfilter (bandpass filter) 108A for the GSM 900 located between the switchcircuit 109A for the GSM 900 and the power amplifier circuit 102A forthe GSM 900 can serve to pass signals in a frequency band of 824 to 915MHz, and to cut off (or attenuate) frequencies in a double frequencyband of the above-mentioned frequency band (for example, of 1648 to 1830MHz) or in a triple frequency band thereof (for example, of 2472 to 2745MHz) to avoid them from passing through the filter. The low pass filter(bandpass filter) 108B for the DCS 1800 located between the switchcircuit 109B for the DCS 1800 and the power amplifier circuit 102B forthe DCS 1800 can serve to pass signals in a frequency band of 1710 to1910 MHz, and to cut off (or attenuate) frequencies in a doublefrequency band of the above-mentioned frequency band (for example, of3420 to 3820 MHz) or in a triple frequency band thereof (for example, of5130 to 5730 MHz) to avoid them from passing through. Accordingly, thelow pass filters (low pass filter circuits) 108A and 108B can serve as abandpass filter (bandpass filter circuit) which is designed to passsignals in a predetermined frequency band, while attenuating signals inother frequency bands.

The switch circuit 109A is a switch circuit for switching betweentransmission and reception of the GSM 900. In transmission of thesignals in the GSM 900 band, the terminal 106 is electrically connectedto the output side of the low pass filter 108A for the GSM 900 by theswitch circuit 109A for the GSM 900, while in reception of the signalsin the GSM 900 band, the terminal 106 is electrically connected to theterminal 110 a for the GSM 900 by the switch circuit 109A for the GSM900. The switch circuit 109B is a switch circuit for switching betweentransmission and reception of the DCS 1800. In transmission of thesignals in the DCS 1800 band, the terminal 106 is electrically connectedto the output side of the low pass filter 108B for the DCS 1800 by theswitch circuit 109B for the DCS 1800, while in reception of the signalsin the DCS 1800 band, the terminal 106 is electrically connected to theterminal 110 b for the DCS 1800 by the switch circuit 109B for the DCS1800.

As mentioned above, the RF power module 1 of the embodiment has thepower amplifier circuits 102A and 102B of the two systems (that is, forthe GSM 900 and for the DCS 1800), to which the low pass filters 108Aand 108B, and the switch circuits 109A and 109B are respectivelyconnected. The transmission frequency bands of the power amplifiercircuits 102A and 102B in the two systems are 0.9 GHz band and 1.8 GHz,respectively. Thus, the RF power module 1 is a semiconductor device oran electronic device having the power amplifier circuits. The RF powermodule 1 has the switch circuits 109A and 109B to which the outputs ofthe power amplifier circuits 102A and 102B are connected via thematching circuits 107A, 107B, and the low pass filters 108A, 108B asdescribed above. Also, the RF power module 1 is the semiconductor deviceor electronic device having the power amplifier circuit and the switchcircuit to which the output of the power amplifier circuit is connected.

FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram (equivalent circuit diagram) showing anexample of a circuit structure of the low pass filters 108A and 108B.Each of the low pass filters 108A and 108B is composed of inductorelements 111 a, 111 b, 111 c and capacitance elements 112 a, 112 b, 112c.

As shown in FIG. 2, each of the low pass filters 108A and 108B iscomposed of one parallel resonant circuit (a LC parallel resonantcircuit, a parallel resonator) 113 and two series resonant circuits (LCseries resonant circuits, series resonator) 114, 115. In the embodiment,a circuit with a parallel connection of the inductor element and thecapacitance element is hereinafter referred to as a parallel resonantcircuit (parallel resonator), and a circuit with a series connection ofthe inductor element and the capacitance element is hereinafter referredto as a series resonant circuit (series resonator). The RF signalsamplified by the power amplifier circuits 102A and 102B are input intothe input terminals 116 of the low pass filters 108A and 108B via thematching circuits 107A and 107B, and the harmonic components of the RFsignals are attenuated to be output from the output terminals 117 of thelow pass filters 108A and 108B.

The parallel resonant circuit 113 is composed of the inductor element111 a and the capacitance element 112 a which are connected to eachother in parallel between an input terminal 116 and an output terminal117 of the low pass filter. The series resonant circuit 114 is composedof the inductor element 111 b and the capacitance element 112 b whichare connected to each other in series between the input terminal 116 andthe ground terminal 118 of the low pass filter. The series resonantcircuit 115 is composed of the inductor element 111 c and thecapacitance element 112 c which are connected to each other in seriesbetween the output terminal 117 and the ground terminal 119 of the lowpass filter. Thus, the inductor element 111 a and the capacitanceelement 112 a are connected to each other in parallel between the inputterminal 116 and the output terminal 117, the inductor element 111 b andthe capacitance element 112 b are connected to each other in seriesbetween the input terminal 116 and the ground terminal 118, and theinductor element 111 c and the capacitance element 112 c are connectedto each other in series between the output terminal 117 and the groundterminal 119. In this way, each of the low pass filters 108A and 108B isformed.

Although the low pass filter 108A and the low pass filter 108B have thesame circuit structure, the low pass filter 108A differs from the lowpass filter 108B in inductance value of the inductor elements 111 a, 111b, and 111 c, and also in capacitance value of the capacitance elements112 a, 112 b, and 112 c. Taking into consideration the frequency bandspassing through the low pass filters, and the frequency bands andattenuation factors of the frequencies attenuated by those filters, theinductance values of the inductor elements 111 a, 111 b, 111 c of thelow pass filter 108A, and the inductance values of the inductor elements111 a, 111 b, 111 c of the low pass filter 108B can be setindependently. Similarly, the capacitance values of the capacitorelements 112 a, 112 b, 112 c of the low pass filter 108A, and thecapacitance values of the capacitor elements 112 a, 112 b, 112 c of thelow pass filter 108B can be set independently.

In the embodiment, each of the low pass filters 108A and 108B iscomposed of an integrated passive device (IPD: Integrated Passive Devicecorresponding to an integrated passive component 5 as described later).Within the integrated passive device, the inductor elements 111 a, 111b, 111 c, and the capacitance elements 112 a, 112 b, 112 c are formedthereby to form the low pass filter 108A or 108B.

FIG. 3 shows an example of a digital cellular phone system DPS(electronic device) using the RF power module 1 of the embodiment.Reference character ANT in FIG. 3 indicates an antenna for transmissionand reception of signals and electric waves. Reference numeral 152indicates a circuit part which includes a baseband circuit forconverting an audio signal to a baseband signal, for converting areceived signal to the audio signal, and for generating a modulationsystem switching signal and a band switching signal, and a modulationcircuit for down-converting and decoding the received signal into thebaseband signal and for modulating a transmission signal. The circuitpart 152 is composed of a plurality of semiconductor integrated circuitswhich include a DSP (Digital Signal Processor), a microprocessor, asemiconductor memory, and the like. FLT1 and FLT2 are filters forremoving interfering waves and noise from the received signal. Thefilter FLT1 is dedicated for the GSM, and the filter FLT2 for the DCS.Switching signals CNT1 and CNT2 for the switch circuits 109A and 109B ofthe RF power module 1 are supplied from the peripheral circuit 103 (theaforementioned control circuit 103C thereof) to the switch circuits 109Aand 109B based on a control signal supplied from the circuit part 152(baseband circuit thereof) to the peripheral circuit 103 (theaforementioned control circuit 103C thereof) of the RF power module 1.

As can be seen from FIG. 3, the outputs of the power amplifier circuits102A and 102B are connected to the terminal 106 via the matchingcircuits 107A, 107B, the low pass filters 108A, 108B, and the switchcircuits 109A, 109B. The terminal 106 of the RF power module 1 isconnected to the antenna ANT. When the antenna ANT for transmission andreception is electrically connected to the RF signals amplified by thepower amplifier circuits 102A and 102B, via the lowpass filter circuits108A and 108B by the switch circuits 109A and 109B (in transmission),the antenna ANT for transmission and reception serves as an antenna fortransmission, which causes the RF signal for transmission to betransmitted from the RF power module 1 to the antenna ANT fortransmission and reception. In reception, the antenna ANT fortransmission and reception is connected to terminals 110 a and 110 b bythe switch circuits 109A and 109B, and the received RF signal by theantenna are fed to the circuit part 152 via the filter FLT1 or FLT2.

FIG. 4 is a circuit diagram (a circuit diagram of a main part, or anequivalent circuit diagram) showing an example of a circuit structure ofeach of the switch circuit 109A and 109B. The switch circuit 109A forthe GSM 900 and the switch circuit 109B for the DCS 1800 have thesubstantially same circuit structure, and respectively include thecircuit structure shown in FIG. 4.

In the embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, each of the switch circuits 109Aand 109B can be formed of a HEMT (High Electron Mobility Transistor).That is, a switching element of each of the switch circuits 109A and109B can be constituted of the HEMT. In a case shown in FIG. 4, eachswitch circuit 109A, 109B is formed of two HEMTQ1s and two HEMTQ2s. TheHEMT- and HEMTQ2 are not turned on simultaneously, but when one isturned on, the other is turned off.

That is, when a voltage Vg1 is applied to gates of the two HEMTQ1s (whenthe HEMTQ1s are turned on), no voltage is applied to gates of the twoHEMTQ2s (the HEMTQ2s are turned off), and the transmission RF signal(transmission RF signal amplified by the power amplifier circuit 102A or102B) is transmitted from the RF power module 1 to the antenna ANT fortransmission and reception.

In contrast, when a voltage Vg2 is applied to the gates of the twoHEMTQ2s (when the HEMTQ2s are turned on), no voltage is applied to thegates of the two HEMTQ1s (the HEMTQ1s are turned off) and a received RFsignal is transmitted from the antenna ANT for transmission andreception to a LNA (Low Noise Amplifier) 155 for amplifying the receivedsignal. Note that in FIG. 3, the LNA 155 is illustrated included in thecircuit part 152.

FIG. 5 shows a circuit diagram of the HEMTQ1 and HEMTQ2, FIG. 6 shows anequivalent circuit diagram when the HEMTQ1 and HEMTQ2 are turned on, andFIG. 7 shows an equivalent diagram when the HEMTQ1 and HEMTQ2 are turnedoff.

The circuit diagram of FIG. 5 can illustrate that in the HEMTQ1 andHEMTQ2, a drain bias Vd, a source bias Vs, and a gate bias Vg in aswitching operation are all set to zero V, except that the gate bias Vgis set to −2.8 V when off. Under each bias condition as mentioned above,the HEMTQ1 and Q2 can be represented by the equivalent circuit diagramshown in FIG. 6 when on, and a capacitance Cgd, a capacitance Cgs, andan on resistance Ron are formed between the gate and a drain, betweenthe gate and a source, and between the source and the drain of each ofthe HEMTQ1 and HEMTQ2, respectively. The HEMTQ1 and Q2 can berepresented by the equivalent circuit diagram shown in FIG. 7 when off,and the capacitance Cgd, the capacitance Cgs, and a capacitance Cds areformed between the gate and the drain, between the gate and the source,and between the source and the drain of the HEMTQ1 and HEMTQ2,respectively.

FIG. 8 is a circuit diagram (a circuit diagram of a main part, or anequivalent circuit diagram) showing another example of the circuitstructure of the switch circuits 109A and 109B. Although in FIG. 4, theswitch circuits 109A and 109B are formed using the HMET elements or thelike, the switch circuits 109A and 109B may be formed using diodeelements D1, D2, D3, and D4, and the like as shown in FIG. 8. Thesediode elements D1, D2, D3, and D4 can be constituted of, for example,PIN (P-Intrinsic-N) diodes. It should be noted that in FIG. 8, when avoltage is applied to the VLTX, the antenna ANT and the low pass filter108A are connected to each other, but the antenna ANT and the circuit152 are disconnected from each other. When the VLTX is at the GND(ground potential), the antenna ANT and the low pass filter 108A aredisconnected from each other, and the antenna ANT and the circuit part152 are connected to each other. The same goes for a VHTX.

The switch circuits 109A and 109B can be formed by the circuits usingthe HEMT elements shown in FIG. 4, or by the circuits using the diodeelements shown in FIG. 8. Now, the structure of the RF power module 1according to embodiment will be described below.

FIG. 9 is a conceptual top view (plan view) showing the structure of theRF power module 1 of the embodiment, and FIG. 10 is a conceptualsectional diagram of the RF power module 1 of the embodiment. FIG. 9shows a state in which the RF power module is seen through a seal resin7. Furthermore, FIG. 10 corresponds to a sectional view (side sectionalview) of FIG. 9, showing the conceptual structure of the RF power module1, and does not correspond completely to a section obtained by cuttingthe structure of FIG. 9 at a predetermined position. Although FIG. 9 isa plan view, hatching is applied to the semiconductor chips 2 and 4, thepassive component 5, and an integrated passive component 6 for easyviewing.

The RF power module 1 of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 includesa wiring board 3, the semiconductor chips (a semiconductor element, andan active element) 2 and 4 mounted (implemented) over the wiring board3, the passive component 5 mounted over the wiring board 3, theintegrated passive components (the integrated passive element, the IPD,and the electronic device) 6 mounted on the wiring board 3, and the sealresin (a seal part and a seal resin part) 7 for covering the uppersurface of the wiring board 3 including the semiconductor chips 2, 4,the passive component 5, and the integrated passive component 6. Thesemiconductor chips 2, 4, the passive components, and the integratedpassive component 6 are electrically connected to a conductive layer(transmission line) of the wiring board 3. Furthermore, the RF powermodule 1 can be implemented on, for example, an external circuit boardor a mother board not shown.

The wiring board (a multilayer board, a multilayer wiring board, or amodule substrate) 3 is a multilayer board (a multilayer wiring board)including, for example, a plurality of insulating layers (dielectriclayers) 11, and a plurality of conductive layers or wiring layers (notshown), which are laminated integrally. Although in FIG. 10, fourinsulating layers 11 are laminated to form the wiring board 3, thenumber of the laminated insulating layers 11 is not limited thereto, andvarious modifications to the number of insulating layers or the like canbe made. Ceramic materials, such as alumina (aluminum oxide, Al2O3), canbe used as the material for forming the insulating layer 11 of thewiring board 3. In this case, the wiring board 3 is a ceramic multilayersubstrate. The material for the insulating layer 11 of the wiring board3 is not limited to the ceramic material, and various modifications tothe material can be made. For example, a glass epoxy resin can be used.

Conductive layers (wiring layers, wiring patterns, and conductivepatterns) for forming the wiring are formed on the upper surface (frontor main surface) 3 a, and on the lower surface (the back or mainsurface) 3 b of the wiring board 3, and between the insulating layers11. A conductive pattern 12 b (including a substrate side terminal 12 a)made of an electric conductor is formed on the upper surface 3 a of thewiring board 3 by the conductive layer positioned on the uppermost layerof the wiring board 3. An external connection terminal (a terminal, anelectrode, or a module electrode) 12 c made of an electric conductor isformed on the lower surface 3 b of the wiring board 3 by the conductivelayer positioned on the lowermost layer of the wiring board 3.

A substrate side terminal (a terminal, an electrode, a transmissionline, or a wiring pattern) 12 a is formed on the upper surface 3 a ofthe wiring board 3 by apart of the conductive pattern 12 b. Thesubstrate side terminals 12 a are parts of the conductive patterns 12 bon the upper surface 3 a of the wiring board 3 which parts areelectrically connected to the electrodes 2 a and 4 a of thesemiconductor chips 2 and 4 via bonding wires 8 and 9 (that is, parts inconnection with the bonding wires 8 and 9), or parts of the conductivepatterns 12 b in connection with the passive component 5 or theelectrode of the integrated passive component 6. The external connectionterminals 12 c correspond to, for example, the input terminals 104 a,104 b, 104 c, and the terminals 106, 110 a, 110 b shown in FIG. 1. Alsoinside the wiring board 3, that is, between the insulating layers 11,are formed the conductive layers (the wiring layers, the wiringpatterns, and the conductive patterns), which are not illustrated inFIG. 10 for simplification. The wiring pattern for supply of a referencepotential (for example, a terminal 12 d for supply of a referencepotential on the lower surface 3 b of the wiring board 3) among thewiring patterns formed by the conductive layers of the wiring board 3can be formed in a rectangular pattern so as to cover a large part of awiring formation surface of the insulating layer 11. The wiring patternfor transmission line among the wiring patterns formed by the conductivelayers can be formed in a strip pattern.

The respective conductive layers (wiring layers) included in the wiringboard 3 are electrically connected to one another via conductors orconductive films within via holes (through holes) 13 formed in theinsulating layers 11 if necessary. Thus, the substrate side terminals 12a on the upper surface 3 a of the wiring board 3 are connected via theconductive pattern 12 b on the upper surface 3 a of the wiring board 3and/or the wiring layers inside the wiring board 3 (wiring layersbetween the insulating layers 11), or via the conductive film within thevia hole 13 if necessary. The substrate side terminals are electricallyconnected to the external connection terminal 12 c on the lower surface3 b of the wiring board 3, or to the terminal 12 d for supply of thereference potential. Among the via holes 13, a via hole 13 a providedunder the semiconductor chip 2 can serve as a thermal via fortransmitting heat caused in the semiconductor chip 2 or the like to thelower surface 3 b side of the wiring board 3.

The semiconductor chip 2 has a semiconductor integrated circuit formedthereon, and corresponding to the circuit structure enclosed by a dottedline indicating the semiconductor chip 2 in the circuit block diagram ofFIG. 1. Thus, in the semiconductor chip 2 (or in a front layer part),are formed semiconductor amplification elements, for example, MISFETs(Metal Insulator Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor) constituting thepower amplifier circuits 102A and 102B (amplification stages 102A1 to102A3, and 102B1 to 102B3 thereof), a semiconductor element constitutingthe peripheral circuit 103, and passive elements constituting thematching circuits (interstage matching circuits) 102AM1, 102AM2, 102BM1,and 102MB2 constituting the peripheral circuit 103. As described above,the RF power module (electronic device) 1 has the power amplifiercircuits 102A and 102B, and the semiconductor chip 2 is an activeelement constituting the power amplifier circuits 102A and 102B. Thesemiconductor chip 2 is manufactured by the steps of forming thesemiconductor integrated circuit on a semiconductor substrate (substratewafer) which is made of, for example, single crystal silicon, grindingthe back surface of the semiconductor substrate if necessary, and thenseparating the semiconductor substrate into the semiconductor chips 2 bydicing or the like.

FIG. 11 is a sectional view of a main part of an example of thesemiconductor chip 2 when the semiconductor amplification elementconstituting each of the above-mentioned power amplifier circuits 102Aand 102B (amplification stages 102A1 to 102A3, and 102B1 to 102B3) isformed of the MISFET element, such as a LDMOSFET (Laterally DiffusedMetal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor).

Referring to FIG. 11, an epitaxial layer 202 made of p⁻-type singlecrystal silicon is formed on the main surface of a semiconductorsubstrate 201 made of p⁺-type single crystal silicon. A p-type well 206serving as a punch-through stopper is provided on apart of the mainsurface of the epitaxial layer 202 for preventing the extension of adepletion layer from the drain to the source of the LDMOSFET. A gateelectrode 208 of the LDMOSFET is formed over the surface of the p-typewell 206 via a gate insulating film 207 made of silicone oxide. The gateelectrode 208 is formed of, for example, an n-type polycrystallinesilicon film, or a laminated film of a n-type polycrystalline siliconfilm and a metal silicide film. The gate electrode 208 has side wallspacers 211 made of the silicon oxide or the like formed on the sidewalls thereof.

The source and drain of the LDMOSFET are formed in regions spaced apartfrom each other with a channel forming region sandwiched inside theepitaxial layer 202. The drain is composed of an n⁻-type offset drainregion 209 in contact with the channel forming region, an n-type offsetdrain region 212 in contact with the n⁻-type offset drain region 209 andspaced apart from the channel forming region, and an n⁺-type drainregion 213 in contact with the n-type offset drain region 212 andfurther spaced apart from the channel forming region. Among the n⁻-typeoffset drain region 209, the n-type offset drain region 212 and then⁺-type drain region 213, the n⁻-type offset drain region 209 locatednearest to the gate electrode 208 has the lowest impurity concentration,while the n⁺-type drain region 213 spaced farthest from the gateelectrode 208 has the highest impurity concentration.

The source of the LDMOSFET is composed of an n-type source region 210 incontact with the channel forming region, and an n⁺-type source region214 in contact with the n⁻-type source region 210 and formed apart fromthe channel forming region. The n⁺-type source region 214 has theimpurity concentration higher than that of the n⁻-type source region210. A p-type halo region (not shown) can be formed under the n⁻-typesource region 210.

On one end of the n⁺-type source region 214 (on an end opposite to theside in contact with the n⁻-type source region 210), a p-type punchlayer 204 is formed in contact with the n⁺-type source region 214. Ap⁺-type semiconductor region 215 of the p-type punch layer 204 is formednear the surface of the layer 204. The p-type punch layer 204 is aconductive layer for electrically connecting the source of the LDMOSFETwith the semiconductor substrate 201, and is made of a p-typepolycrystalline silicon film, which is formed, for example, by beingembedded into a groove 203 formed in the epitaxial layer 202.

Plugs 223 in contact holes 222 formed in the insulating film (interlayerinsulating film) 221 are respectively connected onto the p-type punchlayer 204 (p⁺-type semiconductor region 215), the source (n⁺-type sourceregion 214), and the drain (n⁺-type drain region 213) of the LDMOSFET. Asource electrode 224 a (wiring 224) is connected to the p-type punchlayer 204 (p⁺-type semiconductor region 215) and the source (n⁺-typesource region 214) via the plug 223, and the drain (n⁺-type drain region213) is electrically connected to a drain electrode 224 b (wiring 224)via the plug 223.

Wiring 228 are respectively connected to the source electrode 224 a andthe drain electrode 224 b via the plugs 227 within the through holes 226formed in the insulating film (interlayer insulating film) 225 coveringthe source electrode 224 a and the drain electrode 224 b. A surfaceprotective film (insulating film) 229 composed of a laminated film whichconsists of a silicon oxide film and a silicon nitride film is formed onthe wiring 228. Although not shown, a pad electrode (bonding padcorresponding to an electrode 2 a as described later) is formed by thewiring 228 exposed from an opening formed in the surface protective film229 (and a gold film formed thereon, and the like). Furthermore, a backelectrode (source back surface electrode) 230 is formed on the backsurface of the semiconductor substrate 201.

The semiconductor amplification elements constituting the poweramplifier circuits 102A and 102B (amplification stages 102A1 to 102A3,and 102B1 to 102B3) can be formed by the HBTs (Heterojunction BipolarTransistor). However, a voltage (base voltage Vbe) of HBT correspondingto a threshold value of the MISFET is high (for example, about 1.25 V).In a multistage connection of amplification stages of the HBT, thevoltage becomes higher (for example, when two stages are connected toeach other, the base voltage becomes about 2.5 V), which can be equal toor greater than the power source voltage, resulting in failure in anoperation of the HBT.

The greater the area of the HBT, the smaller the current density neededto obtain current required for the circuit structure (collector currentIce per pn junction area), so that the voltage (base voltage Vbe)corresponding to the threshold value of the HBT can be decreased by thesame degree as that of the threshold voltage of the MISFET (for example,to about 0.7 to 0.9 V). However, if the area of the HBT is enlarged todecrease the current density (collector current Ice per pn junctionarea) in order to lower the voltage (base voltage Vbe) corresponding tothe threshold value in the HBT, the area of one HBT will have the sizethat is several times (for example, four to five times) larger than thatof the MISFET. Thus, when the power amplifier circuits are made of theHBTs, the area of the semiconductor chip with the power amplifiercircuits (HBT) formed thereon becomes large. It is advantageous in termsof product size and costs to form the control circuit or the like inanother semiconductor chip, rather than to build the control circuitinto the semiconductor chip with the HBT formed therein.

In contrast, when the semiconductor amplification elements constitutingthe power amplifier circuits 102A and 102B (amplification stages 102A1to 102A3, and 102B1 to 102B3) are formed by the MISFET elements (forexample, the LDMOSFETs), the area of the semiconductor chip 2 with theMISFET elements formed thereon for constituting the power amplifiercircuits 102A and 102B can be decreased as compared to the case of theHBT, which easily allows the above-mentioned peripheral circuit 103 tobe incorporated into the same semiconductor chip 2. The MISFET elementsconstituting the power amplifier circuits 102A and 102B, and the MISFETelement constituting the peripheral circuit 103 may be formed on thesame silicon substrate (semiconductor substrate 201). For this reason,it is easy in terms of manufacturing steps to form both the poweramplifier circuits 102A, 102B, and the peripheral circuit 103 within onesemiconductor chip 2. Thus, the power amplifier circuits 102A and 102Bare constituted by the MISFET elements, thereby decreasing the dimension(plane dimension) of the semiconductor chip 2. Furthermore, the numberof semiconductor chips needed to constitute the RF power module 1 can bedecreased (wherein since the chips required are the semiconductor chips2 and 4, the number of chips in total can be set to two), so that thedimension (plane dimension) of the RF power module 1 can be reduced. Thesemiconductor amplification elements constituting the power amplifiercircuits 102A and 102B (amplification stages 102A1 to 102A3, and 102B1to 102B3) may be preferably formed of the MISFET elements (for example,LDMOSFETs).

As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the semiconductor chip 2 is die-bondedface-up to a conductive layer 14 a over the upper surface 3 a of thewiring board 3 with an adhesive, such as solder 15. A silver paste orthe like can be used instead of the solder 15 for the die-bonding of thesemiconductor chip 2. A plurality of electrodes (bonding pads, orterminals) 2 a formed on the front surface (upper surface) of thesemiconductor chip 2 are electrically connected to the respectivesubstrate side terminals 12 a (conductive patterns 12 b) on the uppersurface 3 a of the wiring board 3 via the bonding wires (conductivewires) 8. On the back surface of the semiconductor chip 2, a back sideelectrode 2 b is formed. The back side electrode 2 b of thesemiconductor chip 2 is connected (jointed) to the conductive layer 14 aon the upper surface 3 a of the wiring board 3 by a conductive adhesive,such as the solder 15, and further electrically connected to theterminal 12 d for supply of the reference potential on the lower surface3 b of the wiring board 3 via the conductive film within the via hole 13or the like.

A semiconductor chip 4 has a semiconductor integrated circuit formedthereon, and corresponding to the circuit structure enclosed by a dottedline indicating the semiconductor chip 4 in the circuit block diagram ofFIG. 1. Thus, both switch circuits 109A and 109B are formed in thesemiconductor chip 4 (or a surface layer part). The switch circuits 109Aand 109B each are made of the HEMT element or the like as shown in FIG.4, and thus the HEMT elements constituting the switch circuits 109A and109B or the like are formed in the semiconductor chip 4. As mentionedabove, the RF power module (electronic device) 1 has the switch circuits109A and 109B for switching between transmission and reception, and thesemiconductor chip 4 is an active element constituting the switchcircuits 109A and 109B. The semiconductor chip 4 is obtained by thesteps of forming a semiconductor integrated circuit on a semiconductorsubstrate (semiconductor wafer) made of, for example, GaAs or the like,grinding the back surface of the semiconductor substrate if necessary,and then separating the semiconductor substrate into semiconductor chips4 by dicing or the like.

FIG. 12 is a sectional view of a main part of an example of thesemiconductor chip 4 when the switch circuits 109A and 109B are formedusing the HEMT elements, and FIG. 13 is a main plan view thereof. Notethat FIG. 13 shows a plane layout of a source electrode 313, a drainelectrode 314, a gate electrode 317, and a gate pad 317A, andillustration of other components is omitted. FIG. 13 is a plan view inwhich hatching is applied to the gate electrode 17 (and the gate pad17A) for easy viewing of the accompanying drawings. Furthermore, thesection of the region taken along a line A-A of FIG. 13 substantiallycorresponds to that in FIG. 14.

As shown in FIG. 12, a buffer layer 302, an electron supply layer 303, achannel layer 304, an electron supply layer 305, a Schottky layer(electron supply layer) 306, an interlayer film 307, and a cap layer 308are formed in that order from the bottom by epitaxial growth on the mainsurface of the semiconductor substrate 301 made of GaAs, which is asemiconductor compound.

The buffer layer 302 is constituted of a laminated film including anon-doped GaAs layer, a non-doped AlGaAs layer, a non-doped GaAs layer,and a non-doped AlGaAs layer in that order from the bottom. The electronsupply layer 303 is composed of an n⁺-type AlGaAs layer, into whichimpurity ions having n-type conductivity (for example, silicon ions) areintroduced. The channel layer 304 is composed of a laminated filmincluding a non-doped AlGaAs layer, a non-doped GaAs layer, a non-dopedInGaAs layer, a non-doped GaAs layer, and a non-doped AlGaAs layer inthat order from the bottom. The electron supply layer 305 is composed ofan n⁺-type AlGaAs layer, into which impurity ions having the n-typeconductivity (for example, silicon ions) are introduced. The Schottkylayer 306 is composed of an n⁺-type AlGaAs layer, into which impurityions having the n-type conductivity (for example, silicon ions) areintroduced. The interlayer film 307 is composed of an n⁺-type AlGaAslayer, into which impurity ions having the n-type conductivity (forexample, silicon ions) are introduced. The cap layer 308 is composed ofan n⁺-type GaAs layer, into which impurity ions having the n-typeconductivity (for example, silicon ions) are introduced.

The cap layer 308, the interlayer film 307, the Schottky layer 306, theelectron supply layer 305, the channel layer 304, and the electronsupply layer 303 are partially removed around the semiconductor chip bya mesa etching method to form an element separation part (elementseparation region) 309. A silicon oxide film 310 is formed on the sidewalls of the cap layer 308, the interlayer film 307, the Schottky layer306, the electron supply layer 305, the channel layer 304, and theelectron supply layer 303, and on the cap layer 308.

The source electrode 313 and the drain electrode 314 are formed in ohmiccontact with the cap layer 308 on the cap layer 308 exposed from theopening formed in the silicon oxide film 310. The gate electrode 317 isformed in Schottky contact with the Schottky layer 306 exposed fromanother opening formed in the silicon oxide film 310, the cap layer 308,and the interlayer film 307. On the silicon oxide film 310 except forthe opening, a protective film 315 is formed which is made of a siliconoxide film or the like.

As illustrated in a plan view of FIG. 13, the gate electrode 317 ispatterned so as to be located within a chip region enclosed by theelement separation part 309 except for the gate pad 317A for connectionwith a contact hole extending from the wiring of the upper layer. Also,the gate electrode 317 is patterned such that it continuously lies inthe form of one line within the chip region, extends longitudinallybetween the source electrode 313 and the drain electrode 314, as well aslaterally in remaining other positions on the paper surface of FIG. 13.The gate electrode 317 disposed between the source electrode 313 and thedrain electrode 314 continuously extends in the form of one line alongthe longitudinal and lateral directions on the paper surface within thechip region enclosed by the element separation part 309, with one end ofthe gate electrode 317 connected to the gate pad 317A, therebydownsizing the area of the gate pad 317A, and thus achieving reductionin size of the chip.

Referring to FIG. 12, an interlayer insulating film 318, such as a PSG(Phospho Silicate Glass) film, is formed over the silicon oxide film 310(protective film 315) so as to fill in the opening with the sourceelectrode 313 formed therein, the opening with the drain electrode 314formed therein, and the opening with the gate electrode 317 formedtherein. The interlayer insulating film 318 has an opening reaching thesource electrode 313, an opening reaching the drain electrode 314, andan opening (not shown) reaching the gate pad 317A (see FIG. 13) formedthereon. Wiring 321 is formed on or over each of the source electrode313, the drain electrode 314, and the gate pad 317A exposed from therespective openings of the interlayer insulating film 318 to beelectrically connected to each of the source electrode 313, the drainelectrode 314, and the gate pad 317A (gate electrode 317).

An interlayer insulating film 324 made of silicon oxide or the like isformed on the interlayer insulating film 318 to cover the wiring 321. Anopening reaching the wiring 321 is formed in the interlayer insulatingfilm 324. Wiring 332 is formed on the wiring 321 exposed from theopening of the interlayer insulating film 324 to be electricallyconnected to the wiring 321. A surface protective film (polyimide film)334 is formed over the interlayer insulating film 324 to cover thewiring 332. Although not shown, a pad electrode (bonding padcorresponding to an electrode 4 a as described later) is formed by thewiring 332 exposed from the opening formed in the surface protectivefilm 334.

Although in the above description, the HEMT element or the like isformed in the semiconductor substrate (GaAs substrate) made of asemiconductor compound (GaAs) to form the semiconductor chip 4, in otherembodiments, a SOS (Silicon On Sapphire) substrate may be used insteadof the GaAs substrate, and the HEMT element or the like may be formed onthe SOS substrate to form the semiconductor chip 4.

As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the semiconductor chip 4 is die-bondedface-up to the conductive layer 14 b on the upper surface 3 a of thewiring board 3 by an adhesive, such as solder 16. In die-bonding of thesemiconductor chip 2, a silver paste or an insulating adhesive can beused instead of the solder 16. A plurality of electrodes (bonding pads,and terminals) 4 a formed on the surface (front face) of thesemiconductor chip 4 are electrically connected to the respectivesubstrate side terminals 12 a on the upper surface 3 a of the wiringboard 3 via the bonding wires (conductive wires) 9. In otherembodiments, the electrode 4 a of the semiconductor chip 4 serves as abump electrode (protruding electrode), and the semiconductor chip 4 ismounted face-down on the upper surface 3 a of the wiring board 3. Thus,the bump electrodes of the semiconductor chip 4 are connected to thesubstrate side terminals 12 a on the upper surface 3 a of the wiringboard 3, that is, the semiconductor chip 4 can be flip-chip connected tothe upper surface 3 a of the wiring board 3.

The passive component (passive element, or chip component) 5 is composedof a passive element, such as a resistance element (for example, a chipresistor), a capacitance element (for example, a chip condenser), or aninductor element (for example, a chip inductor). The passive componentis constructed of, for example, the chip component. The passivecomponent 5 is a passive component constituting, for example, a matchingcircuit (an input matching circuit) 105A, 105B, or a matching circuit(output matching circuit) 107A, 107B. The passive elements constitutingthe matching circuits (interstage matching circuits) 102AM1, 102AM2,102BM1, 102BM1 may be formed within the semiconductor chip 2, or may beformed by the passive components 5 without being formed in thesemiconductor chip 2. The passive component 5 is implemented on thesubstrate side terminals 12 a on the upper surface 3 a of the wiringboard 3 with an adhesive having good conductivity, such as solder 17.

The integrated passive component 6 is an integrated passive device (IPD)constituting each of the low pass filters 108A and 108B. Within therespective integrated passive components 6, the inductor elements 111 a,111 b, 111 c, and the capacitance elements 112 a, 112 b, 112 c areformed to constitute the above-mentioned low pass filters 108A and 108B.

In the RF power module 1, two integrated passive components 6 a and 6 beach serving as the integrated passive component 6 are mounted over theupper surface 3 a of the wiring board 3. One of the integrated passivecomponents 6 a is the integrated passive component 6 constituting thelow pass filter 108A for the GSM 900, while the other integrated passivecomponent 6 b is the integrated passive component 6 constituting the lowpass filter 108B for the DCS 1800. Thus, the inductor elements 111 a,111 b, 111 c, and the capacitance elements 112 a, 112 b, 112 c whichconstitute the low pass filter 108A for the GSM 900 are formed withinthe integrated passive component 6 a, while the inductor elements 111 a,111 b, 111 c, and the capacitance elements 112 a, 112 b, 112 c whichconstitute the low pass filter 108A for the DCS 1800 are formed withinthe integrated passive component 6 b.

In the embodiment, the term “integrated passive element (integratedpassive components, IPD)” means a plurality of passive elements formedon the substrate, on which no active element is formed. The plurality ofpassive elements are formed by an electrically conductive layer and/oran insulating layer on the substrate, so that the integrated passiveelement is formed. Although in the embodiment, a semiconductor substratemainly composed of silicon single crystal is used as the substrateincluded in the integrated passive element, in other embodiments aninsulating substrate, such as a GaAs (gallium arsenide) substrate, asapphire substrate, or a glass substrate, can also be used.

A plurality of bump electrodes (protruding electrodes) 18, whichcorrespond to bump electrodes 64 as described later, are formed on thefront surface (main surface or upper surface on the passive elementforming side) 19 a of each of the integrated passive components 6 a and6 b. The bump electrode 18 is, for example, a solder bump. A gold bumpor the like can be used as the bump electrode 18. The bump electrodes 18are electrically connected to the passive elements (the inductorelements 111 a, 111 b, 111 c, and the capacitance elements 112 a, 112 b,112 c) formed within the integrated passive component 6.

The integrated passive component 6 is flip-chip connected to the uppersurface 3 a of the wiring board 3. That is, the integrated passivecomponent 6 is mounted (implemented) over the upper surface 3 a of thewiring board 3 with its back surface (main surface or lower surfaceopposite to the front surface 19 a) directed upward and with its frontsurface (main surface of the passive element forming side) 19 a directedopposite to the upper surface 3 a of the wiring board 3. Thus, theintegrated passive component 6 is mounted face-down over the uppersurface 3 a of the wiring board 3. The plurality of bump electrodes 18on the surface 19 a of the integrated passive component 6 arerespectively joined with and electrically connected to the respectivesubstrate side terminals 12 a on the upper surface 3 a of the wiringboard 3. Thus, the plurality of passive elements (the inductor elements111 a, 111 b, 111 c, and the capacitance elements 112 a, 112 b, 112 c)formed in the integrated passive component 6, or low pass filters (lowpass filter circuits) formed by the plurality of passive elements areelectrically connected to the substrate side terminals 12 a on the uppersurface 3 a of the wiring board 3 via the bump electrodes 18.

The substrate side terminals 12 a of the upper surface 3 a of the wiringboard 3 to which the semiconductor chips 2 and 4, the passive component5, or the integrated passive component 6 is electrically connected areconnected to each other via a wiring layer on the upper surface of orinside the wiring board 3, or via the conductive film or the like in thevia hole 13 if necessary. Furthermore, the substrate side terminals 12 aare electrically connected to external connection terminals 12 c orterminals for supply of a reference potential 12 d on the lower surface3 b of the wiring board 3.

The seal resin 7 is formed over the wiring board 3 to cover thesemiconductor chips 2, 4, the passive component 5, the integratedpassive component 6, and the bonding wires 8 and 9. The seal resin 7 ismade of a resin material, such as epoxy resin, or silicone resin, andcan contain fillers or the like.

Now, the integrated passive component 6 used in the embodiment will bedescribed in detail. First, one example of manufacturing steps of theintegrated passive component 6 of the embodiment will be explained belowwith reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIGS. 14 to 19 are sectional views of main parts of the manufacturingsteps of the integrated passive component 6 of the embodiment. Theintegrated passive component 6 of the embodiment can be manufactured,for example, as follows.

First, as shown in FIG. 14, a semiconductor board (semiconductor wafer)31 (hereinafter referred to as a substrate 31) made of, for example,silicon single crystal or the like, is prepared. The use of thesemiconductor substrate made of the silicon single crystal as thesubstrate 31 facilitates manufacturing the integrated passive component6, for example, by the so-called wafer process package technology(hereinafter referred to as a WPP) as will be described below. Thetechnology involves collectively applying a package process with thewafer being maintained to a plurality of IPD chips formed on the waferthrough a wafer process, for example. In other embodiments, aninsulating substrate or the like, such as a GaAs (gallium arsenide)substrate, a sapphire substrate, or a glass substrate, can be used asthe substrate 31.

Then, an insulating film 32 made of silicon oxide or the like is formedon the surface of the substrate 31. When using the insulating substrate(for example, the glass substrate) as the substrate 31, the formation ofthe insulating film 32 can be omitted.

An electrically conductive film (electrically conductive layer) mainlyconsisting of, for example, an aluminum (Al) alloy film is formed on theinsulating film 32, and then patterned by a photolithography technologyand a dry etching technology to form wiring (first layer wiring) 33,which is composed of the patterned electrically conductive film.

Then, an insulating film (interlayer insulating film) 35 made of asilicon oxide film or the like is formed over the substrate 31 (on theinsulating film 32) to cover the wiring 33. Thereafter, a photoresistpattern (not shown) is formed on the insulating film 35 using thephotolithography method, and the insulating film 35 is subjected to thedry etching using the photoresist pattern as an etching mask to form anopening (through hole) 36 in the insulating film 35. The wiring 33(lower electrode 34 a) is exposed at the bottom of the opening 36, andthe part of the wiring 33 exposed from the opening 36 serves as thelower electrode 34 a of a MIM (Metal Insulator Metal) type capacitanceelement (MIM capacitor) 34.

Then, as shown in FIG. 15, an insulating film 37 (for example, a siliconnitride film or the like) serving as a capacitance insulating film ofthe capacitor is formed over the insulating film 35 including the bottomand side walls of the opening 36, and subjected to patterning using thephotolithography method and the dry etching method. The insulating filmpatterned 37 remains over the lower electrode 34 a (wiring 33) at thebottom of the opening 36 to serve as a capacitance insulating film 34 bof the capacitance element 34.

Then, the insulating film 35 is subjected to the dry etching using thephotoresist pattern (not shown) formed by the photolithography method asthe etching mask to form an opening (through hole) 38 in the insulatingfilm 35. The wiring 33 is exposed at the bottom of the opening 38.

An electrically conductive film mainly consisting of, for example, analuminum (Al) alloy film is formed over the substrate 31 (on theinsulating film 35) to cover the insides of the openings 36 and 38, andthen patterned by the photolithography technology and the dry etchingtechnology to form wiring (second layer wiring) 41, which is composed ofthe patterned electrically conductive film. The wiring 41 iselectrically connected to the wiring 33 at the bottom of the opening 38.In the capacitor forming region, an upper electrode 34 c of the MIM typecapacitance element 34 is formed by the wiring 41 formed over the lowerelectrode 34 a composed of the wiring 33 via the capacitance insulatingfilm 34 b (insulating film 37). The MIM type capacitance element 34constituting each of the capacitance elements 112 a, 112 b, 112 c isformed by the lower electrode 34 a (wiring 33), the capacitanceinsulating film 34 b (insulating film 37), and the upper electrode 34 c(wiring 41).

Then, as shown in FIG. 16, a relatively thin insulating film 43 acomposed of a silicon oxide film, a silicon nitride film, or a laminatedfilm thereof is formed to cover the wiring 41 over the substrate 31 (onthe insulating 35), and a relatively thick insulating film (protectiveresin film) 43 serving as a surface protective film is formed on theinsulating film 43 a. The insulating film 43 can be formed of a film ofa resin material, such as polyimide resin (resin material). Theinsulating films 43 and 43 a are removed partially and selectively toform openings 44, and a part of wiring 41 is exposed at the bottom ofthe opening 44 to form a pad part (pad electrode) 45 composed of thewiring 41.

As mentioned above, the substrate 31 is subjected to the wafer processas shown in FIGS. 14 to 16. The wafer process is called preliminary stepwhich generally involves forming various elements (passive elements) andthe wiring layers (and the pad electrodes) on the main surface of thesemiconductor wafer (substrate 31), and performing various electrictests of a plurality of chip regions (from each of which the IPD isformed) formed on the semiconductor wafer by a probe or the like afterforming the surface protective film. Note that the above-mentionedinsulating film 43 is the uppermost layer in the semiconductor wafersubjected to the wafer process.

After the structure shown in FIG. 16 is obtained at the above-mentionedwafer process (preliminary treatment) step, a seed film 51 made of achrome (Cr) film or the like is formed over the substrate 31 (on themain surface on the side of forming the passive element thereof) asshown in FIG. 17. This can form the seed film 51 on the insulating film43 including the pad 45 (wiring 41) exposed at the opening 44. Then, aphotoresist pattern (not shown) is formed on the seed film 51. Thephotoresist pattern is formed in regions other than a region in whichwiring 53 is to be formed as described later, and hence the seed film 51is exposed in the region where the wiring 53 is to be formed.

Then, the wiring (rearrangement wiring layer, rewiring) 53 is formedusing, for example, a plating method. For example, the wiring (thirdlayer wiring) 53 made of a copper film (electrically conductive layer)can be formed on the seed film 51 exposed from the resist pattern byforming the copper film thereon. The wiring 53 is electrically connectedto the wiring 41 (pad part 45) at the bottoms of the openings 44 of theinsulating films 43 and 43 a. The wiring 53 is formed over theinsulating film 43 in a spiral pattern, so that spiral inductors (aspiral coil) constituting the inductor elements 111 b and 111 c areformed.

The insulating films 43 a and 43 are formed on the wiring 41 asmentioned above, and the wiring 53 is formed over the insulating film43. Therefore, the wiring (first conductive layer) 33 formed over thesubstrate 31, the wiring (second conductive layer) 41 positioned abovethe wiring (first conductive layer) 33, and the insulating film 37(capacitance insulating film 34 b) between the wiring 33 and the wiring41 form the capacitance element 34 constituting each of the capacitanceelements 112 a, 112 b, and 112 c. Interlayer insulating films composedof the insulating films 43 a and 43 are formed over the wiring 41, andthe wiring (the third conductive layer) 53 formed on the interlayerinsulating films forms the spiral inductor constituting each of theinductor elements 111 b and 111 c.

Thereafter, the resist pattern is removed and light etching is performedthereby to remove the part which is not covered with the wiring 53 ofthe seed film 51 (that is, the part covered with the resist patternbefore being removed). This can obtain the structure of FIG. 17.

Then, as shown in FIG. 18, a resist pattern (not shown) having openingsis formed on the insulating film 43, and a nickel (Ni) film 54 is formedon the wiring 53 exposed at the bottom of the opening of the resistpattern using the plating method or the like. After forming the nickelfilm 54, the resist pattern is removed.

Then, an insulating film (passivation film) 61 made of a film of resinmaterial, such as polyimide resin, is formed as a surface protectivefilm over the substrate 31 (on the insulating film 43) to cover thewiring 53 and the nickel film 54. Thus, the wiring 53 is covered withthe insulating film 61 serving as the surface protective film. Theuppermost insulating film 61 is made of an organic insulating film, forexample, of polyimide resin, and thus the relatively soft organicinsulating film serves as the uppermost layer, thereby facilitatinghandling of the chip (integrated passive component). Furthermore, theuppermost insulating film 61 can be formed by a silicon oxide film, asilicon nitride film, or a laminated film thereof, thus permittingimprovement of heat radiation characteristics of the spiral inductors(corresponding to the inductor elements 111 b and 111 c) formed by thewiring 53.

Then, an opening 62 is formed in the insulating film 61 to expose a partof the wiring 53. The nickel film 54 is exposed at the bottom of theopening 62.

As shown in FIG. 19, a gold (Au) film 63 is formed as a terminal surfacefilm (bump primary metal coating) over the wiring 53 (on the nickel film54 thereon) exposed at the opening 62, using the plating method or thelike, for example. After forming the opening 62, the nickel film 54 canbe formed on the wiring 53 exposed at the opening 62, and the gold (Au)film 63 can be formed on the nickel film 54.

Then, a bump electrode 64 (corresponding to the bump electrode 18described above) is formed on the gold film 63 above the wiring 53exposed at the opening 62. The bump electrode 64 is composed of, forexample, a solder bump or the like. The bump electrode 64 can be formedby, for example, printing a solder paste by a printing process or thelike and then applying heat treatment thereto. The bump electrode 64(that is, the above-mentioned bump electrode 18) is a terminal of theintegrated passive component 6 (an external connection terminal), andcorresponds to the input terminal 116, the output terminal 117, or theground terminals 118, 119 of the low pass filters 108A and 108B.

Then, the back surface of the substrate 31 is ground if necessary, andthe substrate 31 is subjected to dicing (cutting). The substrate 31serving as the semiconductor wafer is separated into individual chipregions by the dicing, which becomes the integrated passive components 6separated.

In this way, the integrated passive component 6 of the embodiment isprepared (manufactured). Therefore, the integrated passive component 6is the so-called wafer process package (WPP) which is obtained bycollectively applying the package process with the wafer beingmaintained to the plurality of integrated passive component chips formedon the wafer through the wafer process as described above.

Now, one example of manufacturing steps of the RF power module 1according to the embodiment will be described with reference to theaccompanying drawings.

FIGS. 20 to 23 are sectional views of the manufacturing steps of the RFpower module 1 of the embodiment. The RF power module 1 of theembodiment can be manufactured, for example, as follows.

First, as shown in FIG. 20, the wiring board 3 is prepared. The wiringboard 3 can be manufactured by, for example, the printing method, asheet lamination method, a build-up method, or the like.

Then, as shown in FIG. 21, an adhesive, such as solder, is printed orapplied to the substrate side terminals 12 a onto which thesemiconductor chips 2, 4 of the wiring board 3, the passive component 5,the integrated passive component 6, and the like are mounted ifnecessary. Thereafter, the semiconductor chips 2, 4, the passivecomponent 5, and the integrated passive components 6 (6 a, 6 b) aremounted over the upper surface 3 a of the wiring board 3. At this time,the semiconductor chips 2 and 4 are mounted over the upper surface 3 aof the wiring board 3 (on the conductive layers 14 a and 14 b thereof)with the back side (back side electrode 2 b) directed downward (towardthe wiring board 3 side) and with the front side directed upward(face-up bonding). Furthermore, the integrated passive component 6 isface-down bonded, and the solder bumps (bump electrodes 18) provided onthe surface of the integrated passive component 6 are aligned to opposethe substrate side terminals 12 a on the upper surface 3 a of the wiringboard 3.

Then, the semiconductor chips 2, 4, the passive component 5, and theintegrated passive component 6 are fixed (connected) to the wiring board3 via the adhesive, such as solder, by the solder reflow process or thelike.

Then, as shown in FIG. 22, the plurality of electrodes (bonding pads) 2a and 4 a on the surface of the semiconductor chips 2 and 4, and theplurality of substrate side terminals 12 a on the upper surface 3 a ofthe wiring board 3 are electrically connected to one another via theplurality of bonding wires 8 and 9 by the wire bonding process.

Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 23, the seal resin 7 is formed over theupper surface 3 a of the wiring board 3 to cover the semiconductor chips2, 4, the passive component 5, the integrated passive components 6 (6 a,6 b), and the bonding wires 8, 9. The seal resin 7 can be formed using,for example, the printing method, a mold for molding (for example, atransfer mold), or the like. In this way, the RF power module 1 ismanufactured. In manufacturing a plurality of RF power modules 1 fromone sheet of wiring board 3, the wiring board 3 and the seal resin 7 aredivided (cut) at predetermined positions after forming the seal resin 7,into the individual RF power modules 1 separated.

The features of the RF power module 1 of the embodiment will bedescribed below in more detail.

The RF power module 1 of the embodiment includes the semiconductor chip2 constituting the power amplifier circuits 102A and 102B, and thesemiconductor chip 4 constituting the switch circuits 109A and 109Brespectively connected to the outputs of the power amplifier circuits102A and 102B, which chips are mounted over the upper surface 3 a of thewiring board 3. Since not only the power amplifier circuits 102A and102B, but also the switch circuits 109A and 109B for switching betweentransmission and reception are provided in the RF power module 1, andthe antenna ANT is connected to the terminal 106 of the RF power module1 as shown in FIG. 3, another module (a front-end module or an antennaswitch module) having the antenna switch circuit does not need to beprovided between the RF power module 1 and the antenna ANT. This enablesreduction in size and cost of the electronic device, such as the mobilecommunication device (cellular phone) on which the RF power module 1 ismounted. The switch circuits 109A and 109B are constructed in thesemiconductor chip 4, which is mounted over the wiring board 3. This canadvantageously reduce the plane size of the wiring board 3, leading toreduction in size (area) of the RF power module 1. Since both the switchcircuit 109A for the GSM 900 and the switch circuit 109B for the DCS1800 are formed in the same semiconductor chip 4, the number ofcomponents mounted on the wiring board 3 can be decreased, which enablesreduction in size (area) and cost of the RF power module 1.

Furthermore, in the RF power module 1 of the embodiment, the integratedpassive components 6 a and 6 b constituting the low pass filters 108Aand 108B are mounted over the upper surface 3 a of the wiring board 3.Since not only the power amplifier circuits 102A and 102B, but also thelow pass filters (low pass filter circuits) 108A and 108B are providedin the RF power module 1, another module (the front-end module or theantenna switch module) having the low pass filter circuit does not needto be provided between the RF power module 1 and the antenna ANT. Thisenables reduction in size and cost of the electronic device, such as themobile communication device (cellular phone) on which the RF powermodule 1 is mounted.

FIG. 24 is a schematic sectional view of a wiring board 403 of acomparative example when the low pass filters 108A and 108B areincorporated into the wiring board 403, unlike the invention.

The wiring board 403 of the comparative example shown in FIG. 24 has alaminated structure of 11 dielectric layers (insulating layers) 411, and12 wiring layers 412 which are composed of the wiring layers positionedbetween the dielectric layers 411 and the wiring layers positioned onthe uppermost and lowermost surfaces of the dielectric layers. At anupper layer part on the right upper side in the wiring board 403 of FIG.24, a capacity 414 is formed by the wiring layers 412 a (parts of thewiring layers 412) alternately extending from a pair of conductors 413in a direction opposed to each other. In the wiring board 403 of thecomparative example, the capacitance elements 112 a, 112 b, 112 c of thelow pass filters (low pass filter circuits) 108A and 108B are formed bythe capacity 414 incorporated into.

In the wiring board 403 of the comparative example, in order to ensuresufficient capacitance values of the capacitance elements 112 a and 112b of the low pass filters (low pass filter circuits) 108A and 108B, thethickness of the dielectric layer 411 may be set small, or the number ofthe dielectric layers 411 and of the wiring layers 412 may be set large.Since the thinning of the dielectric layer 411 is limited, it isnecessary to increase the number of the dielectric layers 411 and thewiring layers 412 as shown in FIG. 24 (for example, in FIG. 24, thenumber of dielectric layers 412 being 11.) This, however, may increasethe thickness of wiring board 403, resulting in an increase inmanufacturing unit cost of the wiring board 403. Thus, in manufacturingthe RF power module using such a wiring board 403 of the comparativeexample, the thickness of the RF power module may be increased, and themanufacturing unit cost thereof may be enhanced.

In contrast, in the embodiment, the low pass filters 108A and 108B areformed in the RF power module 1, but constructed by the integratedpassive components 6 a and 6 b mounted on the wiring board 3. This canprevent the increase in number of the insulating layers 11 of the wiringboard 3 or in number of the wiring layers of the RF power module 1 evenif the low pass filters 108A and 108B are formed in the RF power module1. For example, the wiring board 3 can be formed with the number of theinsulating layers 11 being four. This allows the slimming down of the RFpower module.

In the embodiment, the integrated passive components 6 a and 6 bincluding the plurality of passive elements for the low pass filters108A and 108B (the inductor elements 111 a, 111 b, 111 c, and thecapacitance elements 112 a, 112 b, 112 c) formed on the semiconductorsubstrate are mounted over the wiring board 3 to form the RF powermodule 1. With this arrangement, this can reduce in size (area) of theRF power module 1 as compared to a case in which the individual passiveelements for the low pass filters 108A and 108B (the inductor element111 a, 111 b, 111 c, and the capacitance elements 112 a, 112 b, 112 c)are mounted as individual chip components over the wiring board 3.

FIG. 25 is a perspective drawing of an upper surface of the RF powermodule 1 of the embodiment, and showing an arrangement of positions(layout) of the semiconductor chips 2, 4 and the integrated passivecomponents 6 a, 6 b over the upper surface 3 a of the wiring board 3,while being seen through the seal resin 7. That is, FIG. 25 correspondsto a figure which is obtained by omitting from FIG. 9 the representationof any parts other than the semiconductor chips 2, 4, and the integratedpassive components 6 a and 6 b on or over the upper surface 3 a of thewiring board 3.

In the RF power module 1 of the embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 25,the semiconductor chip 4 constituting the switch circuits 109A and 109Bis located between the integrated passive component 6 a constituting thelow pass filter 108A for the GSM 900 and the integrated passivecomponent 6 b constituting the low pass filter 108B for the DCS 1800over the upper surface 3 a of the wiring board 3. The semiconductor chip4 constituting the switch circuits 109A and 109B is disposed next to(just beside) the semiconductor chip 2 constituting the power amplifiercircuits 102A and 102B over the upper surface 3 a of the wiring board 3.That is, as shown in FIG. 25, the semiconductor chips 2 and 4 arearranged over the upper surface 3 a of the wiring board 3 such that thesemiconductor chip 4 constituting the switch circuits 109A and 109B ispositioned on a straight line 22 (conceptual line) orthogonal to oneside (a side, a side face, or a side of the main surface of thesemiconductor chip 2) 21 of the semiconductor chip 2 constituting thepower amplifier circuits 102A and 102B. Note that the side 21 is a sideopposed the semiconductor chip 4 among four sides of the semiconductorchip 2. FIG. 25 schematically represents the line 22 by a dotted line.

Furthermore, in the RF power module 1 of the embodiment, as shown inFIG. 9, the passive component 5 is not disposed between the integratedpassive component 6 a and the semiconductor chip 4, and between theintegrated passive component 6 b and the semiconductor chip 4 disposedover the upper surface 3 a of the wiring board 3. Over the upper surface3 a of the wiring board 3, electrical connections are establishedbetween the integrated passive component 6 a and the semiconductor chip4, and between the integrated passive component 6 b and thesemiconductor chip 4 via the conductive pattern (12 b) of the wiringboard 3, or via the conductive pattern (12 b) and the bonding wire (9)without involving the passive component 5.

The RF signal (high-frequency signal) of the GSM 900 amplified by thepower amplifier circuit 102A formed in the semiconductor chip 2 is inputto the low pass filter 108A formed in the integrated passive component 6a, via the matching circuit 107A composed of the passive component 5,where a harmonic component of the RF signal is cut off. Thus, the RFsignal output from the integrated passive component 6 a through the lowpass filter 108A is input to the switch circuit 109A formed in thesemiconductor chip 4. In contrast, the RF signal (high-frequency signal)of the DCS 1800 amplified by the power amplifier circuit 102B formed inthe semiconductor chip 2 is input to the low pass filter 108B formed inthe integrated passive component 6 b, via the matching circuit 107Bcomposed of the passive component 5, where a harmonic component of theRF signal is cut off. Thus, the RF signal output from the integratedpassive component 6 b through the low pass filter 108B is input to theswitch circuit 109B formed in the semiconductor chip 4. Thus, bothoutputs of the integrated passive component 6 a with the low pass filter108A for the GSM 900 formed thereon, and of the integrated passivecomponent 6 b with the low pass filter 108B for the DCS 1800 formedthereon are input to the semiconductor chip 4 on which the switchcircuits 109A and 109B for the GSM 900 and for the DCS 1800 are formed.

Since the RF signals output from the integrated passive components 6 aand 6 b (the low pass filters 108A and 108B) and input to thesemiconductor chip 4 (the switch circuits 109A and 109B) are the RFsignals amplified by the power amplifier circuits 102A and 102B, if thedistances between the integrated passive components 6 a and 6 b and thesemiconductor chip 4 are long, the loss of the signals output from theintegrated passive components 6 a and 6 b to be input to thesemiconductor chip 4 will become large. This could reduce additioneffect (power addition effect) of the RF power module.

In the embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 25, the semiconductor chip 4constituting the switch circuits 109A and 109B is disposed between theintegrated passive component 6 a constituting the low pass filter 108Afor the GSM 900 and the integrated passive component 6 b constitutingthe low pass filter 108B for the DCS 1800, so that the semiconductorchip 4 can be disposed near both the integrated passive components 6 aand 6 b. That is, the integrated passive component 6 a can be positionednear the semiconductor chip 4, and the integrated passive component 6 bcan also be positioned near the semiconductor chip 4. Thus, a connectionpath (a conductive pattern of the wiring board 3 or the like) betweenthe integrated passive component 6 a (low pass filter 108A) and thesemiconductor chip 4 (switch circuit 109A) can be shorten, and aconnection path (a conductive pattern on the wiring board 3 or the like)between the integrated passive component 6 b (low pass filter 108B) andthe semiconductor chip 4 (switch circuit 109B) can be shorten.Accordingly, both the outputs of the integrated passive components 6 aand 6 b can be input to the switch circuits 109A and 109B of thesemiconductor chip 4 at the shortest distance. This can reduce the lossin the signal outputted from the integrated passive components 6 a and 6b (low pass filters 108A and 108B) to be input to the semiconductor chip4 (switch circuits 109A and 109B), thereby improving the addition effect(power addition effect) of the RF power module.

In the embodiment, the passive component 5 is not disposed between theintegrated passive components 6 a and 6 b and the semiconductor chip 4over the upper surface 3 a of the wiring board 3. This advantageouslyserves to shorten the connection path (the conductive pattern of thewiring board 3 or the like) between the integrated passive components 6a and 6 b and the semiconductor chip 4. Also, in the embodiment, theintegrated passive components 6 a, 6 b and the semiconductor chip 4 areelectrically connected to one another via the conductive patterns 12 bof the wiring board 3 or via the conductive patterns (12 b) and thebonding wires 9 without involving the passive component 5. Thisadvantageously serves to reduce the loss of the signals output from theintegrated passive components 6 a and 6 b to be input to thesemiconductor chip 4. Thus, the addition effect of the RF power module 1can be further improved.

Note that as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, when the semiconductor chip 4 isdie-bonded face-up to the upper surface 3 a of the wiring board 3, andthe electrode 4 a of the semiconductor chip 4 and the substrate sideterminal 12 a of the wiring board 3 are wire-bonded to each other, theintegrated passive components 6 a and 6 b and the semiconductor chip 4are electrically connected to one another via the conductive patterns(12 b) of the wiring board 3 and the bonding wires 9 without involvingthe passive component 5. In other embodiments, the electrode 4 a of thesemiconductor chip 4 serves as the bump electrode, and the semiconductorchip 4 can be flip-chip connected to the upper surface 3 a of the wiringboard 4. In this case, the integrated passive components 6 a and 6 b andthe semiconductor chip 4 are electrically connected to one another viathe conductive patterns (12 b) of the wiring board 3 without involvingthe passive component 5.

In the embodiment, the control circuit 103C for controlling the switchcircuits 109A and 109B is formed within the semiconductor chip 2,thereby supplying the control signals of the switch circuits 109A and109B (the above-mentioned switch signals CNT1 and CNT2) from thesemiconductor chip 2 (control circuit 103C) to the semiconductor chip 4(switch circuits 109A and 109B). Since in the embodiment thesemiconductor chip 4 is disposed next to (just beside) the semiconductorchip 2 over the upper surface 3 a of the wiring board 3 (that is, thesemiconductor chip 4 is positioned on the line (22) orthogonal to oneside (21) of the semiconductor chip 2), the connection path between thesemiconductor chips 2 and 4 (the conductive pattern of the wiring board3) can be shorten, which facilitates the layout of the wiring(conductive patterns 12 b) on the wiring board 3. Thus, over the uppersurface 3 a of the wiring board 3, the semiconductor chip 2 and thesemiconductor chip 4 are electrically connected to each other via theconductive pattern (12) of the wiring board 3, or via the conductivepattern (12) and the bonding wires 8 and 9, so that the control signalsof the switch circuits 109A and 109B are supplied from the semiconductorchip 2 to the semiconductor chip 4 via the conductive pattern (12) ofthe wiring board 3, or via the conductive pattern (12) and the bondingwires 8 and 9. Accordingly, the control signals (switching signals CNT1and CNT2) can be supplied at the shortest distance from thesemiconductor chip 2 (control circuit 103C) to the semiconductor chip 4(switch circuits 109A, 109B). The control signals (switch signals CNT1and CNT2) of the switch circuits 109A and 109B are not readily affectedby noise, thereby preventing malfunction of switching of the switchcircuits 109A and 109B.

The RF power module 1 is configured to be capable of amplifying the RFsignals (high-frequency signals) of the two systems of the GSM 900 andthe DCS 1800. Thus, the power amplifier circuit, the low pass filter,and the switch circuit are required for each of the two systems. Withoutany measures for the layout of each component, this could lead toincrease in complexity of the layout of the wiring on the wiring board3, and in size of the RF power module due to the increase in size of thewiring board 3.

In the embodiment, the power amplifier circuits 102A and 102B of the twosystems (GSM 900 and DCS 1800) are formed in one semiconductor chip 2,the switch circuits 109A and 109B of the two systems (GSM 900 and DCS1800) are formed in one semiconductor chip 4, and the low pass filters108A and 108B of the two systems (GSM 900 and DCS 1800) are formed inthe two integrated passive components 6 a and 6 b, respectively. Asshown in FIG. 9, the semiconductor chip 4 is disposed between theintegrated passive component 6 a and the integrated passive component 6b over the upper surface 3 a of the wiring board 3, and positioned nextto (just beside) the semiconductor chip 2. Thus, the semiconductor chip2 and the semiconductor chip 4 are laterally arranged in parallel toeach other. In the forward and backward parts over the wiring board withrespect to the chips, the components for the GSM 900 (the passivecomponent 5 constituting the matching circuit 107A, and the integratedpassive component 6 a), and the components for the DCS 1800 (the passivecomponent 5 constituting the matching circuit 107B, and the integratedpassive component 6 b) can be gathered and arranged respectively. Forexample, as shown in FIG. 9, over the upper surface 3 a of the wiringboard 3, the components for the GSM 900 (the passive component 5constituting the matching circuit 107A and the integrated passivecomponent 6 a) are gathered and arranged at the upper right region ofFIG. 9, while the components for the DCS 1800 (the passive component 5constituting the matching circuit 107B and the integrated passivecomponent 6 b) are gathered and arranged at the lower right region ofFIG. 9. Thus, the RF signal of the GSM 900 amplified by the poweramplifier circuit 102A within the semiconductor chip 2 can be input tothe switch circuit 109A of the semiconductor chip 4 via the gatheredcomponents for the GSM 900 (the passive component 5 constituting thematching circuit 107A and the integrated passive component 6 a). Also,the RF signal of the DCS 1800 amplified by the power amplifier circuit102B within the semiconductor chip 2 can be input to the switch circuit109B of the semiconductor chip 4 via the gathered components for the DCS1800 (the passive component 5 constituting the matching circuit 107B andthe integrated passive component 6 b). This can facilitate both of thelayout of the wiring of the wiring board 3 for connecting among thesemiconductor chip 2, the components for the GSM 900 (the passivecomponent 5 constituting the matching circuit 107A and the integratedpassive component 6 a), and the semiconductor chip 4, as well as thelayout of the wiring of the wiring board 3 for connecting among thesemiconductor chip 2, the components for the DCS 1800 (the passivecomponent 5 constituting the matching circuit 107B and the integratedpassive component 6 b), and the semiconductor chip 4. Thus, the layoutsof the wiring on the wiring board 3 can be simplified, resulting inreduction in size of the wiring board 3, thereby decreasing the size ofthe RF power module 1.

In the embodiment, the inductor element 70 formed by the conductivelayer of the wiring board 3 is incorporated into the wiring board 3. Theinductor element 70 is used for each of the matching circuits (outputmatching circuits) 107A and 107B. The inductor element 70 can beconstructed of a helical coil formed by the conductive layer of thewiring board 3 in a spiral pattern. For example, a round patternpartially breaking (for example, in a turned square U-shaped or C-shapedpattern) is formed by the conductive pattern 12 b on the upper surface 3a of the wiring board 3 and by the conductive layers between theplurality of insulating layers 11 of the wiring board 3 with theinsulating films 11 sandwiched therein and laminated, which may beconnected to the conductor or conductive film within the via hole 13. Inthis way, the inductor element 70 is formed over the wiring board 3which has an extending direction of the spiral defined by a thicknessdirection of the wiring board 3.

In the embodiment, at least one part of the inductor element forformation of each of the matching circuits (output matching circuits)107A and 107B is constituted not using a chip inductor, but using theinductor element 70 made of the conductive layer of the wiring board 3,which can reduce unit cost (manufacturing unit cost) of the RF powermodule 1.

Furthermore, since in the embodiment the switch circuits 109A and 109Bare incorporated into the RF power module 1, the control signals (switchsignals CNT1 and CNT2) for controlling the switch circuits 109A and 109Bneed to be supplied to the semiconductor chip 4 (switch circuit 109A and109B). Within the semiconductor chip 2 constituting the power amplifiercircuits 102A and 102B, the control circuit 103C for the switch circuits109A and 109B is further provided for supplying the control signals(switching signals) from the semiconductor chip 2 (control circuit 103C)to the semiconductor chip 4 (switch circuits 109A and 109B). Based onthe control signal or the like supplied from the circuit part 152outside the RF power module 1 to the semiconductor chip 2 (controlcircuit 103C) via the external connection terminal 12 c of the RF powermodule 1, the control signals (switch signals) of the switch circuits109A and 109B are supplied from the semiconductor chip 2 (controlcircuit 103C) to the semiconductor chip 4. Thus, as compared with a casein which the switch circuits 109A and 109B are not formed in the RFpower module, in the embodiment, many signals are input into and outputfrom the semiconductor chip 2 with the power amplifier circuits 102A and102B and the control circuit 103C formed thereon, resulting in increasednumber of the electrodes 2 a in the semiconductor chip 2. That is, thenumber of electrodes 2 a in the semiconductor chip 2 is increased by thevalue associated with the control circuit 103C.

FIG. 26 is a plan view of a main part near the semiconductor chip 2 inthe RF power module 1 of the embodiment. FIG. 27 is a plan view of amain part near the semiconductor chip 2 in an RF power module 501 of acomparative example.

In the embodiment, as shown in FIG. 26, a plurality of substrate sideterminals 72 to be respectively connected to the plurality of electrodes2 a of the semiconductor chip 2 via the plurality of bonding wires 8 arearranged not in a zigzag manner, but in line around the semiconductorchip 2 over the upper surface 3 a of the wiring board 3. This canprevent each bonding wire 8 connected to the corresponding substrateside terminal 72 from pas sing through another substrate side terminal72 having a potential that is different from that of the substrate sideterminal 72 connected to the bonding wire 8. The substrate sideterminals 72 among the substrate side terminals 12 a are substrate sideterminals (bonding pad, pad electrodes, electrodes, and terminals)connected to the bonding wires 8.

In contrast, in the RF power module 501 of the comparative example ofFIG. 27, the plurality of substrate side terminals 472 (corresponding tothe substrate side terminals 72 of the embodiment), which are to berespectively connected to the plurality of electrodes 2 a of thesemiconductor chip 2 via a plurality of bonding wires 408 (correspondingto bonding wires 8 of the embodiment), are arranged in a zigzag manner(in lines) around the semiconductor chip 2 over the upper surface 3 a ofthe wiring board 3. Thus, in the RF power module 501 of the comparativeexample, as shown in FIG. 27, among the bonding wires 408, some bondingwires 408 a connected to the substrate side terminals 472 a pass throughand on other substrate side terminals 408 b.

When the substrate side terminal 472 a connected to the bonding wire 408a has the same potential as that of the other substrate side terminal408 b through and on which the bonding wire 408 a passes in the RF powermodule 501 of the comparative example shown in FIG. 27, noise is notinput to the bonding wire 408 a. However, if the substrate side terminal472 a to which the bonding wire 408 a is connected has a differentpotential from that of the other substrate side terminal 408 b throughand on which the bonding wire 408 a passes, noise may be input to thebonding wire 408 a, and be input to the semiconductor chip 2 via thebonding wire 408 a. That is, when the bonding wire 408 a passes throughand onto the substrate side terminal 472 b having the differentpotential from that of the substrate side terminal 472 a to which thebonding wire 408 a is connected, the noise may be input to thesemiconductor chip 2 via the bonding wire 408 a. Since the poweramplifier circuits 102A and 102B are formed in the semiconductor chip 2,when the noise is input to the semiconductor chip 2 via the bonding wire408 a, the power amplifier circuits 102A and 102 B can oscillate. Thiscan reduce the performance of the RF power module.

In contrast, in the RF power module 1 of the embodiment, as shown inFIG. 26, the plurality of electrodes 2 a (first electrodes) of thesemiconductor chip 2 and the plurality of substrate side terminals 72(second electrodes) of the wiring board 3 are electrically connected toone another via the plurality of bonding wires 8 over the upper surface3 a of the wiring board 3. Each of the plurality of bonding wires 8 isadapted not to pass through and on the substrate side terminal 72(second electrode) having a potential different from that of thesubstrate side terminal 72 (second electrode) to which the correspondingbonding wire is connected. This can prevent the noise from being inputinto the semiconductor chip 2 via the bonding wires 8, preventoscillation of the power amplifier circuits 102A and 102B formed in thesemiconductor chip 2, and improve the performance of the RF power module1.

As mentioned above, in the embodiment, the number of electrodes 2 a inthe semiconductor chip 2 is increased because the control circuit 103Cis formed in the chip 2, and hence the number of substrate sideterminals 72 to be connected to the semiconductor chip 2 via the bondingwires 8 is also increased. However, even when the number of thesubstrate side terminals 72 to be connected to the semiconductor chip 2via the bonding wires 8 is increased, if these substrate side terminals72 are arranged in a zigzag manner like the comparison example of FIG.27, there can pose problems of input of the noise into the semiconductorchip 2, of oscillation of the power amplifier circuits 102A and 102B,and the like. For this reason, in the embodiment, even if the dimensionor the pitch of arrangement of the substrate side terminals 72 to beconnected to the semiconductor chips 2 via the bonding wires 8 becomessmall, the plurality of substrate side terminals 72 to be respectivelyconnected to the plurality of electrodes 2 a of the semiconductor chip 2via the plurality of bonding wires 8 are arranged not in the zigzagmanner, but in line around the semiconductor chip 2 over the uppersurface 3 a of the wiring board 3. For example, when a dimension L2 ofthe substrate side terminal 72 connected to the bonding wire 8 is about150 μm, a distance L1 between the terminals is 100 μm, and a pitch L3 isset to about 250 μm, these terminals are arranged in line. Thus, eachbonding wire 8 can be prevented from passing through and on thesubstrate side terminal 72 having the potential different from that ofthe substrate side terminal 72 connected to the corresponding bondingwire 8. This can prevent input of the noise into the semiconductor chip2, and prevent oscillation of the power amplifier circuits 102A and102B.

Furthermore, in the embodiment, not only the passive components 5, butalso the integrated passive components 6 are mounted as the passiveelement over the upper surface 3 a of the wiring board 3. The passivecomponent 5 is constructed of, for example, a chip resistor, a chipcapacitor, or a chip inductor, which is a potential component with twoterminals having electrodes on both ends. The potential component hasthe electrodes formed on parts of both end faces and sides thereof.Thus, when the electrode of the passive component 5 is connected to thesubstrate side terminal 12 a on the upper surface 3 a of the wiringboard 3 with the solder 17, the solder 17 sucks up the electrode partson both end faces and the sides of the passive component 5. Confirmationof the suction of the solder 17 can judge whether or not the position ofthe passive component 5 deviates from a position in which the passivecomponent should be originally mounted over the upper surface 3 a of thewiring board 3 (if the position is aligned, the sucking of the solder iscaused, but if the position deviates from the original position, thesucking up of the solder is not caused.)

However, the integrated passive component 6 includes a plurality ofpassive elements (the capacitance elements 34 constituting the inductorelements 111 a, 111 b, 111 c, and the spiral inductors constituting thecapacitance elements 112 a, 112 b, 112 c) formed on the substrate 31 asshown in FIG. 19. The integrated passive component 6 is electricallyconnected to the substrate side terminals 12 a on the upper surface 3 aof the wiring board 3 via the bump electrodes 18, such as a solder bump.Thus, no electrode is formed on the side of the integrated passivecomponent 6, and even if the bump electrode 18 is made of solder, thesolder does not suck up the electrode at the side of the integratedpassive component 6. This makes it difficult to determine whether theposition of the integrated passive component 6 over the upper surface 3a of the wiring board 3 deviates from the original position where thecomponent should be mounted, based on the sucking up of the solder atthe side of the integrated passive component 6.

For this reason, in the embodiment, a pattern for identifying theposition of the integrated passive component 6 (corresponding topatterns for position identification 89 a and 89 b as will be describedbelow) is formed over the upper surface 3 a of the wiring board 3 aswill be described later.

FIG. 28 is a plan view (top view) of a main part of the RF power module1 of the embodiment, and showing a region in the vicinity of theintegrated passive component 6. Note that FIG. 28 shows a state in whichthe RF power module is seen through the seal resin 7. FIG. 29 is a planview of the integrated passive component 6, and showing a front surface19 a of the component which is a main surface opposed to the uppersurface 3 a of the wiring board 3 when it is mounted over the wiringboard 3. FIGS. 30 and 31 are top views of the main part (plan views ofthe main part) of the wiring board 3 before the integrated passivecomponent 6 is mounted, and showing the region corresponding to FIG. 28.FIG. 30 represents the positions of the via holes 13 by omitting anovercoat glass layer 84 and a plating layer 86 from FIG. 31.

Note that FIG. 28 is a plan view in which hatching is given to thepatterns for position identification 89 a and 89 b for easy viewing.FIG. 30 is a plan view in which hatching is given to a conductivepattern 82 for easy viewing. FIG. 31 is a plan view in which hatching isgiven to terminals 88 c, 88 d, 88 e, 88 f, and the patterns for positionidentification 89 a and 89 b for easy viewing.

FIG. 32 is a sectional view of a main part of the wiring board 3 beforethe integrated passive component 6 is mounted, and approximatelycorresponds to a section taken along a line B-B of FIG. 31. FIG. 33 is asectional view of a main part showing a state in which the integratedpassive component 6 is mounted over the upper surface 3 a of the wiringboard 3 (that is, a sectional view of a main part of the RF power module1, while omitting the representation of the seal resin part 6), andapproximately corresponds to a section taken along a line B-B of FIG.28. Note that the wiring board 3 is a multilayer substrate composed ofan integral lamination including the plurality of insulating layers 11,the wiring layers located between the insulating layers 11, and thewiring layers disposed as the uppermost and lowermost layers of thesubstrate. The sectional views of FIGS. 32 and 33 show an upper partfrom the uppermost insulating layer 11 a among the plurality ofinsulating layers 11, while omitting the representation of the lowerpart from the insulating layer 11 a.

As shown in FIG. 29, the integrated passive component 6 includes sixterminals (electrodes) 81. The terminal 81 corresponds to theabove-mentioned bump electrode 18 (bump electrode 64). The six terminals81 of the integrated passive component 6 are comprised of an inputterminal 81 a, an output terminal 81 b, and four ground terminals 81 c,81 d, 81 e, 81 f. The input terminal 81 a corresponds to the inputterminal 116 of FIG. 2, while the output terminal 81 b corresponds tothe output terminal 117 of FIG. 2. Each of the ground terminals 81 c, 81d, 81 e, and 81 f corresponds to either the ground terminal 118 or theground terminal 119 of FIG. 2. Although in order to strengthen theground, the four ground terminals 81 c, 81 d, 81 e, and 81 f areprovided in the integrated passive component 6, in another embodimenttwo ground terminals corresponding to the ground terminals 118 and 119of FIG. 2 can be provided in the integrated passive component 6. In thiscase, the integrated passive component 6 has four terminals 81respectively corresponding to the input terminal 116, the outputterminal 117, and the ground terminals 118 and 119 of FIG. 2.

As shown in FIGS. 30 and 32, the conductive pattern 82 mainly consistingof, for example, copper (Cu), is formed on the upper surface of theinsulating layer 11 a in the wiring board 3. The conductive pattern 82corresponds to the above-mentioned conductive pattern 12 b. Theconductive pattern 82 is electrically connected to the wiring layer,which is a lower layer from the insulating layer 11 a, via a conductor83 within the via hole 13 formed in the insulating layer 11 a ifnecessary. The conductor 83 within the via hole 13 is made of the samekind of conductor as that of the conductive pattern 82.

Referring to FIG. 32, an overcoat glass layer (insulating layer) 84 isformed on the upper surface of the insulating layer 11 a over the wiringboard 3 to cover the conductive pattern 82. Note that in the entire planview of FIG. 9, the overcoat glass layer 84 is not shown.

The overcoat glass layer 84 is patterned so as to be exposed at partsthereof for providing the substrate side terminals 12 a to be connectedto the component mounted over the wiring board 3 (the semiconductorchips 2, 4, the passive component 5, and the integrated passivecomponent 6), as well as at parts for forming the patterns for positionidentification 89 a and 89 b. Also, the overcoat glass layer 84 ispatterned so as to cover the remaining other conductive patterns 82.That is, the overcoat glass layer 84 has openings 85, from which theconductive patterns 82 serving as the substrate side terminals 12 a andthe conductive patterns 82 serving as the patterns for positionidentification 89 a and 89 b are exposed. Thus, by covering theconductive patterns 82 with the overcoat glass layer 84, the conductivepatterns 82 other than the substrate side terminals 12 a and thepatterns for position identification 89 a and 89 b can be protected andinsulated.

A part of the conductive pattern 82 exposed from the opening 85 of theovercoat glass layer 84 has a plating layer 86 formed on the uppersurface (front surface) thereof. The plating layer 86 is composed of alaminated film of a lower layer side nickel (Ni) plating layer, and agold (Au) plating layer disposed thereon. The plating layer 86 is formednot on the overcoat glass layer 84, but on the conductive pattern 82exposed from the opening 85 of the overcoat glass layer 84. The platinglayer 86 is formed on the conductive pattern 82 to form the substrateside terminal 12 a which is capable of being subjected to the solderconnection, the wire bonding, or the like.

Referring back to FIG. 30, there are provided, on the upper surface 3 aof the wiring board 3, an electrode pattern 82 a for input signals to beconnected to the input terminal 81 a of the integrated passive component6, an electrode pattern 82 b for output signals to be connected to theoutput terminal 81 b of the integrated passive component 6, an electrodepattern 82 c for ground to be connected to the ground terminals 81 c and81 d of the integrated passive component 6, and an electrode pattern 82d for ground to be connected to the ground terminals 81 e and 81 f ofthe integrated passive component 6. The electrode pattern 82 a for inputsignals, the electrode pattern 82 b for output signals, and theelectrode patterns 82 c and 82 d for ground are formed by the conductivepatterns 82 in the vicinity of the position where the integrated passivecomponent 6 is to be mounted over the upper surface 3 a of the wiringboard 3.

As shown in FIGS. 31 and 32, the electrode pattern 82 a for inputsignals has a region opposed to the input terminal 81 a of theintegrated passive component 6 in mounting of the component 6 (a regionnear the tip end on the side opposed to the electrode pattern 82 b foroutput signals). The region of the pattern 82 is exposed from theopening 85 of the overcoat glass layer 84 to serve as a terminal 88 awith the plating layer 86 formed on its surface. The electrode pattern82 b for output signals has a region opposed to the output terminal 81 bof the integrated passive component 6 in mounting of the component 6 (aregion near the tip end on the side opposed to the electrode pattern 82a for input signals). The region of the pattern 82 b is exposed from theopening 85 of the overcoat glass layer 84 to serve as a terminal 88 bwith the plating layer 86 formed on its surface. The electrode pattern82 c for ground has regions opposed to the ground terminals 81 c an 81 dof the integrated passive component 6 in mounting of the component 6.These regions are exposed from the openings 85 of the overcoat glasslayer 84 to serve as the terminals 88 c and 88 d with the plating layer86 formed on surfaces thereof. The electrode pattern 82 d for ground hasregions opposed to the ground terminals 81 e an 81 f of the integratedpassive component 6 in mounting of the component 6. These regions areexposed from the openings 85 of the overcoat glass layer 84 to serve asthe terminals 88 e and 88 f with the plating layers 86 formed onsurfaces thereof. These terminals 88 a to 88 f correspond to some of thesubstrate side terminals 12 a which are to be connected to the terminals81 (bump electrodes 18) of the integrated passive component 6.

Furthermore, in the embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 31 and 32, a part ofthe electrode pattern 82 c for ground is extended from the opening 85 aof the overcoat glass layer 84 to form the pattern 89 a for positionidentification with the plating layer 86 formed on its surface.Similarly, a part of the electrode pattern 82 d for ground is extendedfrom the opening 85 b of the overcoat glass layer 84 to form the pattern89 b for position identification with the plating layer 86 formed on itssurface.

As can be seen from FIGS. 28 to 33, in mounting the integrated passivecomponent 6 over the upper surface 3 a of the wiring board 3, the inputterminal 81 a of the integrated passive component 6 is connected(electrically connected) to the terminal 88 a of the wiring board 3, theoutput terminal 81 b of the component 6 is connected (electricallyconnected) to the terminal 88 b of the wiring board 3, and the groundterminals 81 c, 81 d, 81 e, and 81 f of the component 6 are connected(electrically connected) to the terminals 88 c, 88 d, 88 e, and 88 f ofthe wiring board 3, respectively.

When the terminal 81 of the integrated passive component 6 is made of asolder bump or the like, or when solder is supplied onto the terminals88 a, 88 b, 88 c, 88 d, 88 e, and 88 f of the wiring board 3 to mountthe integrated passive component 6 over the wiring board 3, the inputterminal 81 a, the output terminal 81 b, and the grounds 81 c, 81 d, 81e, 81 f of the integrated passive component 6 can be connected(solder-connected) to the terminals 88 a, 88 b, 88 c, 88 d, 88 e, and 88f of the wiring board 3, respectively, through the solder by a solderreflow process after mounting the component 6. Moreover, when theterminal 81 of the integrated passive component 6 is formed of a goldbump or the like, the input terminal 81 a, the output terminal 81 b, andthe grounds 81 c, 81 d, 81 e, 81 f of the integrated passive component 6can be connected to the terminals 88 a, 88 b, 88 c, 88 d, 88 e, and 88 fof the wiring board 3, respectively, by pressure bonding orthermocompression bonding.

The patterns for position identification 89 a and 89 b are patterns foridentifying (confirming) the position (mounting position) of theintegrated passive component 6 (integrated passive element) aftermounting the integrated passive component 6 over the upper surface 3 aof the wiring board 3 (after semiconductor reflow process) (that is,after a step of FIG. 21) before forming the seal resin 7 (before a stepof FIG. 23). Thus, the patterns for position identification 89 a and 89b are patterns identifiable by eyes or by an image device or the like.The terminal 81 of the integrated passive component 6 is not connectedto the patterns for position identification 89 a and 89 b over the uppersurface 3 a of the wiring board 3.

As shown in FIGS. 28 and 33, in a state where the integrated passivecomponent 6 is mounted over the upper surface 3 a of the wiring board 3,the patterns for position identification 89 a and 89 b for identifyingthe position of the integrated passive component 6 are provided at leastin a part around the component 6 over the upper surface 3 a of thewiring board 3, and the integrated passive component 6 does not existdirectly above at least one part of each of the patterns for positionidentification 89 a and 89 b. Thus, when viewing (observing) the uppersurface 3 a of the wiring board 3 from the above after mounting theintegrated passive component 6 over the upper surface 3 a of the wiringboard 3 (after the solder reflow process) before forming the seal resin7, the existence of the patterns for position identification 89 a and 89b can be identified (confirmed, or observed) around the integratedpassive component 6 as shown in FIG. 28. If the integrated passivecomponent 6 is located at the position where it should be originallymounted, the patterns for position identification 89 a and 89 b areprovided in such positions that both patterns for positionidentification 89 a and 89 b can be identified (confirmed, or observed)around (on both sides of) the integrated passive component 6 whenviewing (observing) the upper surface 3 a of the wiring board 3 from theabove.

FIG. 34 is a plan view showing a main part of a case where the positionof the integrated passive component 6 deviates from the position whereit should be originally mounted at a stage in which the integratedpassive component 6 is mounted over the wiring board 3 (in the stateafter the solder reflow process). FIG. 34 corresponds to theabove-mentioned FIG. 28.

As shown in FIG. 34, if the position of the integrated passive component6 deviates from the position where it should be originally mounted, atleast one of the patterns for position identification 89 a and 89 b ishidden by the integrated passive component 6.

When viewing (observing) the upper surface 3 a of the wiring board 3from the above, even if one of the patterns for position identification89 a and 89 b can be identified around the integrated passive component6, both of the patterns for position identification 89 a and 89 b cannotbe identified.

In contrast, if the integrated passive component 6 is located at theposition where it should be originally mounted, as shown in FIG. 28,both the patterns for position identification 89 a and 89 b can beidentified (confirmed, or observed) around the integrated passivecomponent 6 (on both sides in this case) when viewing (observing) theupper surface 3 a of the wiring board 3 from the above as shown in FIG.28.

Thus, at the stage where the integrated passive component 6 is mountedover the wiring board 3 (in the state after the solder reflow process),it can be confirmed or determined whether or not the position of theintegrated passive component 6 deviates from the position where itshould be originally mounted by the patterns for position identification89 a and 89 b. Therefore, after the mounting step of the integratedpassive component (the stage of the step of FIG. 21), and before aforming step of the seal resin 7 (the stage of the step of FIG. 23), aninspection step is introduced in which amounting state of the integratedpassive component 6 in the wiring board 4 is confirmed and selectedbased on the patterns for position identification 89 a and 89 b. Onlythe integrated passive component 6 mounted in the position where itshould be originally mounted as illustrated in FIG. 28, can be fed to anext step (for example, a wire bonding step, or the forming step of theseal resin). This can improve the reliability of mounting of theintegrated passive component 6, and further the reliability of the RFpower module 1.

The integrated passive component 6 which is not mounted in the positionwhere it should be originally mounted as shown in FIG. 34 is removed asa defective piece, or is re-mounted again.

Thus, in the RF power module 1 finally manufactured, the integratedpassive component 6 is mounted at the position where it should bemounted as shown in FIG. 28. The patterns for position identification 89a and 89 b are formed at least in the part around the integrated passivecomponent 6 over the upper surface 3 a of the wiring board 3, and nointegrated passive component exists directly above at least one part ofeach of the patterns for position identification 89 a and 89 b. That is,when viewing the wiring board 3 on which the integrated passivecomponent 6 is mounted from the above (note that the seal resin 7 isseen through or removed), both the patterns for position identification89 a and 89 b are formed (arranged) at least in the part around theintegrated passive component 6 (on both sides of the component 6 in thiscase), and the integrated passive component 6 does not exist directlyabove at least one part of each of the patterns for positionidentification 89 a and 89 b.

In the embodiment, the patterns for position identification 89 a and 89b are formed by the same conductive layer (by the conductive patterns 82and the plating layer 86 thereon in this case) as the plurality ofterminals 88 a, 88 b, 88 c, 88 d, 88 e, and 88 f over the upper surface3 a of the wiring board 3 electrically connected to the plurality ofterminals 81 a, 81 b, 81 c, 81 d, 81 e, and 81 f (third electrodes) ofthe integrated passive component 6 (integrated passive element). Thus,the patterns for position identification 89 a and 89 b can be formed inthe same step of forming the terminals 88 a, 88 b, 88 c, 88 d, 88 e, and88 f, thereby avoiding increase in the number of manufacturing steps andin manufacturing cost of the wiring board 3 due to provision of thepatterns for position identification 89 a and 89 b in the wiring board3.

While the invention developed by the present inventors has beendescribed specifically based on various embodiments, the presentinvention is not limited to the embodiments as specifically describedherein. It is needless to say that various modifications can be made tothe embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention.

1. An electronic device including a power amplifier circuit fortransmitting a transmitting radio frequency (RF) signal, which is foruse in a communication device, the electronic device comprising: awiring board having a top surface and a bottom surface opposite eachother; a first semiconductor chip including a switch circuit capable ofswitching between transmission and reception of RF signals, mounted overthe top surface of the wing board; a second semiconductor chip includinga first control circuit controlling the switch circuit and a secondcontrol circuit controlling the power amplifier circuit, mounted overthe top surface of the wiring board; a plurality of external connectionterminals disposed over the bottom surface of the wiring board; and aseal resin sealing the first semiconductor chip and the secondsemiconductor chip, wherein the second semiconductor chip has arectangular plane shape having four sides, and wherein the firstsemiconductor chip is positioned on a line orthogonal to one of the foursides of the second semiconductor chip in a plan view.
 2. An electronicdevice according to claim 1, wherein the communication device has anantenna for receiving and transmitting RF signals, and wherein theswitch circuit operates so as to transmit the transmitting RF signalfrom the power amplifier circuit to the antenna in a transmissionperiod.
 3. An electronic device according to claim 1, wherein thecommunication device has an antenna for receiving and transmitting RFsignals, wherein the communication device has a low noise amplifier(LNA) which is capable of amplifying a receiving RF signal, and whereinthe switch circuit operates so as to receive the receiving RF signalfrom the antenna to the LNA in a reception period.
 4. An electronicdevice according to claim 1, wherein a low pass filter is coupledbetween the switch circuit and the power amplifier circuit.
 5. Anelectronic device according to claim 1, wherein the switch circuit iscomprised of a High Electron Mobility Transistor (HEMT).
 6. Anelectronic device according to claim 1, wherein the second semiconductorchip includes a bias circuit for applying a bias voltage to the poweramplifier circuit.
 7. An electronic device according to claim 1, whereina via hole is formed in the wring board beneath the second semiconductorchip, and wherein a conductive film is filled in the via hole.
 8. Anelectronic device according to claim 1, wherein a passive component isdisposed over the top surface of the wiring board.
 9. A radio frequency(RF) module including a power amplifier circuit for transmitting atransmitting RF signal, the RF module comprising: a wiring board havinga top surface and a bottom surface opposite each other; a firstsemiconductor chip including a switch circuit capable of switchingbetween transmission and reception of RF signals, mounted over the topsurface of the wiring board; a second semiconductor chip including afirst control circuit controlling the switch circuit and a secondcontrol circuit controlling the power amplifier circuit, mounted overthe top surface of the wiring board; a plurality of external connectionterminals disposed over the bottom surface of the wiring board; and aseal resin sealing the first semiconductor chip and the secondsemiconductor chip, wherein the second semiconductor chip has arectangular plane shape having four sides, and wherein the firstsemiconductor chip is positioned on a line orthogonal to one of the foursides of the second semiconductor chip in a plan view.
 10. An RF moduleaccording to claim 9, wherein the RF module is for use in a mobilecommunication device, wherein the mobile communication device has anantenna for receiving and transmitting RF signals, and wherein theswitch circuit operates so as to transmit the transmitting RF signalfrom the power amplifier circuit to the antenna in a transmissionperiod.
 11. An RF module according to claim 9, wherein the RF module isfor use in a mobile communication device, wherein the mobilecommunication device has an antenna for receiving and transmitting RFsignals, wherein the communication device has a low noise amplifier(LNA) which is capable of amplifying a receiving RF signal, and whereinthe switch circuit operates so as to receive the receiving RF signalfrom the antenna to the LNA in a reception period.
 12. An RF moduleaccording to claim 9, wherein a low pass filter is coupled between theswitch circuit and the power amplifier circuit.
 13. An RF moduleaccording to claim 9, wherein the switch circuit is comprised of a HighElectron Mobility Transistor (HEMT).
 14. An RF module according to claim9, wherein the second semiconductor chip includes a bias circuit forapplying a bias voltage to the power amplifier circuit.
 15. An RF moduleaccording to claim 9, wherein a via hole is formed in the wiring boardbeneath the second semiconductor chip, and wherein a conductive film isfilled in the via hole.
 16. An RF module according to claim 9, wherein apassive component is disposed over the top surface of the wiring board.